Author: Badalian Vardan

CHAIRMAN LEVIN QUESTIONS HAGEL ON U.S.-ARMENIA DEFENSE RELATIONSHIP

11:56 12.02.2013

In response to a direct inquiry by Senate Armed Services Committee
Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI), President Obama’s nominee to serve as
Secretary of Defense, former Senator Chuck Hagel, called for the
expansion of U.S.-Armenia defense relations, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We would like to thank Chairman Levin for drawing attention, during
this especially closely watched Senate confirmation process, to the
importance of growth in the U.S.-Armenia defense relationship,” said
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We share Senator Hagel’s
view that there is much room for the development of these ties, and
look forward, should he be confirmed, to engaging with the Department
of Defense on this matter.”

In response to a written inquiry by Chairman Levin, Senator Hagel
explained “The U.S.-Armenia defense relationship is sound. As with
all relationships, there is room to grow and areas where we can
strengthen our cooperation and partnership.” He went on to note
that, if confirmed, “I would continue to engage Armenian leaders to
strengthen existing areas of engagement and identify new areas of
cooperation that support Armenia’s defense reforms, especially its
peacekeeping brigade, and continue its ability to deploy in coalition
operations.”

In the days leading up to the Hagel confirmation hearing, ANCA
activists across America, including those in Chairman Levin’s state
of Michigan, urged their legislators to engage the nominee on a range
of issues of concern to the Armenian American community. Of special
concern were statements by Hagel opposing official U.S. affirmation
of the Armenian Genocide. “What happened in 1915 happened in 1915. As
one United States Senator, I think the better way to deal with this is
to leave it open to historians and others to decide what happened and
why,” then-Senator Hagel told a group of Armenian reporters during
a trip to Armenia in 2005. “The fact is that this region needs to
move forward,” Hagel added. “We need to find a lasting, just peace
between Turkey and Armenia and the other nations of this region. I
am not sure that by going back and dealing with that in some way that
causes one side or the other to be put in difficult spot, helps move
the peace process forward.”

Chairman Levin announced his intention to bring Hagel’s nomination
for a committee vote on Tuesday, February 12th, opening the door for
a full Senate vote later this week.

IRAN VOICES DISCONTENT OVER TURKEY’S DEPLOYMENT OF PATRIOT MISSILES ON TURKISH-SYRIAN BORDER

12:24 12/02/2013 ” COMMENTS

Iran has voiced discontent over Turkey’s deployment of Patriot
missiles on the Turkish-Syrian border, Iran’s semi-official news
agency Fars reported.

At a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Cemal Cicek on the sidelines
of Islamabad-hosted ECO Speakers Conference Iranian Majlis Speaker
Ali Larijani voiced discontent over the deployment of the Patriot
missiles on the Turkish-Syrian border, the Iranian website said.

Cemal Cicek assured his Iranian counterpart that the Patriot missiles
are defensive in nature, and that they will be dismantled once the
Syrian crisis is solved.

Earlier, referring to Turkey’s policy to its neighbors, particularly
Syria, Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi said, in part, “The
Turkish authorities have turned off 180 degrees from the path of
Islam. They arm terrorists and send them to Syria to kill their Muslim
brothers.” Addressing the Turkish authorities, Naser Makarem Shirazi
said, “State relations have nothing to do with us, but we announce
that our entire nation feels disgust for you.”

Read also: Turkey supports Iran’s separatist forces on state level

WHY SEDRAKYAN SHOULD BE ARRESTED

11:56 12/02/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

Candidate for president, Armenian Epic poetry expert, Vardan Sedrakyan
said on Yerkir Media TV that after the presidential elections, on
February 22-23, he will be arrested. Sedrakyan says it will be in
the result of investigation of the attempt on Paruir Hayrikyan.

In particular, it has become known that the people suspected of the
attempt are somehow linked to Vardan Sedrakyan. Sedrakyan says that
one of them, Samvel Harutiunyan, was hired by him to renovate his
houses in Yerevan and Yeghvard. In addition, Khachatur Poghosyan was
once called by Harutiunyan as a taxi driver to drive him from Yerevan
to Yeghvard, Sedrakyan says. He continues that Khachatur Poghosyan’s
car which he used as a taxi broke down so he sold his old Volvo to
him and they agreed that he will pay the price of the car on monthly
basis because Poghosyan did not have enough cash.

Vardan Sedrakyan told this story on Yerkir Media saying that current
developments may end up in his arrest after the elections.

ALIK SARGSYAN AND “DIRTY TRAMPS”

Story from Lragir.am News:

12:04 12/02/2013

The ex-chief of police Alik Sargsyan, presently Serzh Sargsyan’s
advisor in charge of one of his campaign headquarters, held a
meeting at one of the electoral precincts of Ararat Region and made an
interesting statement. He urged the members of the staff to work so as
not to allow people to elect “a dirty one who will turn us to tramps.

If I learn that my children will become tramps, I will leave Armenia,”
Alik Sargsyan said.

Alik Sargsyan regularly appears in curious stories. For example, the
ex-governor of Ararat region who is accused of embezzlement alleged
that Alik Sargsyan embezzled money allocated for the refurbishment
of the governor’s office and built a restaurant in Artashat.

Besides, as chief of police he was accused of a plot against Serzh
Sargsyan. He then resigned and was appointed as advisor to president.

In this position he and his close friend Abraham Babayan, mayor of
Ararat, successfully thwarted the election, and the RPA lost the
election in Ararat region. They were suspected of stealing 800,000
dollars which had been allocated to them to buy votes.

Alik Sargsyan has appeared in many more other stories and perhaps he
needs to “rehabilitate” himself and do a favor to the boss.

KIM BAKHSI’S NEW BOOK ON ARTSAKH MOVEMENT TO BE INTRODUCED IN MOSCOW

11:00, 12 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. A round table dedicated to the 25th
anniversary of the Artsakh movement will be held in the press centre
of “Argumenti i Fakti” News Agency on February 13. The round table
has been jointly organized by the “Russian-Armenian Cooperation”,
“Scientific Society of Caucasus Experts”, and “International Institute
of the Newest States”.

“Russian-Armenian Cooperation” informed “Armenpress” that within the
framework of “Armenia in Friends’ Eyes” program the book entitled “The
Spiritual Treasures of Artsakh” by prominent writer and screenwriter
Kim Bakshi will be introduced to the public during the aforementioned
event. The publication was established to represent the rich pages
of Armenian-Russian military-political, cultural, and socio-economic
cooperation to the Russian readers.

A number of representatives from various Russian political parties
and analytical centres will participate in the round table.

PAROUYR HAYRIKIAN RETIRE SA DEMANDE DE REPORT DES ELECTIONS MOINS DE 24H APRES L’AVOIR DEPOSEE

Alors que dimanche, 10 fevrier, ce candidat victime, le 31 janvier,
d’une tentative d’assassinat, avait saisi la Cour constitutionnelle
pour faire reporter les elections presidentielles, invoquant la
deterioration de son etat de sante et son incapacite de poursuivre la
campagne electorale comme un ” obstacle insurmontable “, il a retire
sa requete ce lundi midi. Avant de deposer sa demande a la Cour, M.

Hayrikian avait appele les candidats Parouyr Hayrikian et Hrant
Bagratian a s’unir autour d’une seule candidature (autour de la sienne
probablement) afin de constituer un front uni contre le President
sortant. Pour le cas d’une telle union, M. Hayrikian n’avait pas
exclu de retirer sa demande… Selon RFE/RL, M. Hayrikian ne peut plus
saisir la Cour constitutionnelle, ce qui signifie que les elections
devraient bien avoir lieu le 18 fevrier. Par ailleurs, les medias
reviennent sur l’arrestation, vendredi 8 janvier, de deux personnes
soupconnees d’etre les auteurs de l’attentat contre M. Hayrikian.

Suite a cette arrestation, le President Sarkissian a convoque une
reunion au cours de laquelle les autorites judiciaires lui ont fait
le point sur l’enquete. Le chef de l’Etat a exprime sa satisfaction
quant au travail des organes concernes. / Hayastani Hanrapetoutioun

Si Azg intitule son article ” Parouyr Hayrikian joue a cache-cache “,
Jamanak l’intitule ” Hayrikian devient de plus en plus capricieux “…

Joxovurd relève que la sympathie que l’electorat lui portait au
lendemain de l’attentat a complètement disparu.

2. Plus que 7 candidats en lice/ Comme annonce, après un jour de grève
de la faim devant le bâtiment de la Commission electorale centrale,
Aram Haroutiounian, President du parti Accord national, a retire sa
candidature le 8 fevrier. Ainsi le nombre de candidats presidentiels
est desormais de 7. Par ailleurs, les quotidiens rendent compte de
la visite du Ministre de la Sante au candidat Andreas Ghoukassian, en
grève de la faim depuis le 21 janvier, qu’il a encourage de subir un
examen medical complet dans l’etablissement de son souhait. Rappelons
qu’une ambulance est de service 24h sur 24 près de lui. La Commission
electorale centrale a exprime sa preoccupation face a l’etat de sante
de ce candidat, l’exhortant a mettre un terme a sa grève de la faim. /

Rapporte par l’ensemble de la presse

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 11 fevrier 2013

mardi 12 fevrier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LE MINISTERE DE L’EDUCATION POURSUIVI EN RAISON DE MANUELS SCOLAIRES CONTROVERSES

Les familles des manifestants tues lors des troubles post-electoraux
de 2008 a Erevan ont porte plainte contre le ministère de l’Education
dans le cadre d’un nouveau manuel d’histoire qui accuse l’opposition
armenienne pour l’effusion de sang.

Le manuel a ete redige par des professeurs chevronnes de l’Universite
d’Etat d’Erevan et approuve par le ministère l’an dernier. Il soutient
que la violence, qui a fait dix morts et plus de 150 autres blesses,
a eclate après que ” es manifestants ont commence a attaquer les
forces de police ” et que les deux parties ont utilise des armes a
feu lors des violents affrontements dans le centre-ville d’Erevan.

Le livre retracant l’histoire de l’Armenie de l’Antiquite a l’epoque
moderne pointe ainsi l’opposition menee par Levon Ter-Petrossian pour
avoir rejete les resultats officiels de l’election presidentielle de
fevrier 2008 qui a donne la victoire a Serge Sarkissian.

Le Congrès national armenien (HAK) a condamne le livre et a exige
son retrait du cursus universitaire. Le livre a egalement provoque
une reaction de colère des familles des partisans de l’opposition
tues par les forces de securite les 1er et 2 mars 2008.

Certains d’entre eux ont declare au servie armenien de RFE / RL
(Azatutyun.am) qu’ils ont porte plainte demandant que la Cour
administrative d’Armenie declare nulle la decision du ministère et
soit retire. Ils ont dit que le manuel est profondement offensant
car il depeint injustement leurs proches comme des criminels.

Alla Hovannisian, dont le fils Tigran Khachatrian figure parmi les
victimes des troubles, a fait valoir que les forces de l’ordre n’ont
toujours pas officiellement acheve leur enquete sur ce qui a ete les
pires violences de rue dans l’histoire du pays. ” Nous pensons que
tant qu’une enquete est en cours, ils n’ont pas le droit de l’inclure
dans les manuels ” a-t-elle dit. ” Je ne veux pas vivre dans un pays
où mon fils est accuse de quelque chose qui n’est jamais arrive “.

Les plaignants comprennent egalement les parents de Gor Kloyan,
un autre jeune homme tue lors de la repression des manifestations
de l’opposition. ” Ils veulent tromper nos etudiants afin d’eviter
toute responsabilite”, a declare Sarkis le père de Gor Kloyan.

Le ministre de l’Education Armen Ashotian a refuse de repondre
a ces allegations. S’adressant au service armenien de RFE / RL
(Azatutyun.am), Armen Ashotian a semble blâme l’opposition pour
l’action en justice. ” Ces gens qui n’ont pas de capital politique
doivent cesser de construire un capital politique au travers du 1er
Mars “a-t-il dit.

Citant la ” liberte academique “, Armen Ashotian a clairement indique
en decembre que ” pas une seule phrase ” dans le manuel ne sera
modifiee en raison du tolle de l’opposition. Il a dit l’approbation de
l’ouvrage par son ministère ne constitue pas une approbation generale
de ses passages controverses.

Levon Ter-Petrossian et son Congrès national armenien (HAK) soutiennent
que les autorites ont utilise la force pour faire respecter les
resultats de ce qu’ils considèrent comme une election truquee. Ils
accusent egalement les autorites d’avoir deliberement evite de
poursuivre les responsables de ces dix morts.

mardi 12 fevrier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LE GRAVISTE DE LA FAIM DENONCE L’AVEUGLEMENT DES OBSERBATEURS ETANGERS

Un candidat armenien a la presidentielle qui a entame une grève de la
faim depuis trois semaines a accuse lundi les observateurs electoraux
de l’Organisation pour la securite et la cooperation en Europe de
fermer les yeux sur la fraude.

Andreas Ghukasian a de nouveau exige qu’ils quittent l’Armenie,
en affirmant que leur mission n’a rien a voir avec la democratisation.

Ghukasian base sa sevère critique sur le rapport pre-electoral
provisoire qui a ete publie par la mission de l’OSCE la semaine
dernière.

Le rapport indique, entre autres choses, que les officiels armeniens
beneficient de ressources publiques pour faire campagne pour la
reelection du President Serge Sarkissian et qu’ils forcent les employes
du secteur public a assister a ses meetings de campagne. Il a egalement
note l’absence d’un “debat anime” dans la course a la presidentielle.

Ghukasian, qui n’est jamais apparu comme susceptible de realiser un
score important dans les elections, a affirme que les observateurs
deployes par le Bureau de l’OSCE, les institutions democratiques et
defendant les droits de l’homme (BIDDH) ont passe sous silence des
problèmes beaucoup plus graves.

“Personne ne conteste le fait que le parti au pouvoir a distribue des
pots de vin vote dans de nombreuses elections et utilise la coercition
contre les fonctionnaires et agents des collectivites locales. La
mission contourne ce fait qui est important pour l’evaluation des
elections. L’ignorer, c’est creer l’incertitude et l’illusion dans la
communaute internationale “, a estime le candidat lors d’une conference
de presse a l’exterieur de l’Academie nationale des sciences Armenie,
où il campe depuis janvier 21.

Ghukasian, qui dirigeait une station de radio privee avant sa course
a la presidentielle, a continue d’affirmer que les observateurs de
l’OSCE / BIDDH avaient deja legitime elections frauduleuses tenues
en Armenie dans le passe. Il dit que leur bilan largement positif de
la dernière election presidentielle tenue en 2008 a encourage les
autorites armeniennes a recourir a la force meurtrière contre des
manifestants de l’opposition.

Cet homme de 42 ans a dit clairement qu’il n’avait toujours pas
l’intention de mettre un terme a sa grève de la faim malgre les
nombreux appels du gouvernement, de l’opposition et des membres de
la societe civile. “La reaction adequate du public doit etre de se
reveiller et de demander ses droits, plutôt que de dire a quelqu’un
qui combat pour mettre fin a sa lutte “, a-t-il estime.

Ghukasian a commence son mouvement de protestation pour exiger que
le president Serge Sarkissian se voie interdire de solliciter sa
reelection en raison de ses fraudes electorales records. Le candidat
a egalement exige l’arret de la mission de l’OSCE de surveillance
du vote.

mardi 12 fevrier 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

ARMENIA PLEDGES TO HOLD TRULY DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

By Haroutiun Khachatrian (01/23/2013 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Eight candidates are nominated to run in Armenia’s presidential
elections scheduled for February 18, in which the incumbent President
Serzh Sargsyan seeks re-election for a second five-year term. However,
despite the abundance of nominees, no close struggle is expected and
Sargsyan is in a good position to be reelected with relative ease. The
official election campaign started on January 21 but a number of
candidates began their public addresses ahead of this date. Others who
had their candidate registrations rejected have declared that their
rights have been violated and that they will pursue these by judicial
means.

BACKGROUND: The most serious competition to Sargsyan was removed on
December 12 when Gagik Tsarukian, leader of the Prosperous Armenia
Party (PA) and regarded as the only potential candidate capable of
mounting a real challenge to Sargsyan, announced that he would not run
for the presidency. Tsarukian is vastly popular in Armenia, not least
due to his habit of using his considerable personal wealth for various
charity actions, such as donating tractors to farmers or sending
high-quality Yerevan physicians to rural areas. Armenia’s first
President (1991-1998) Levon Ter-Petrosian has also declared he will
not run in 2013. Ter-Petrosian was the main challenger to Sargsyan in
the 2008 presidential elections where he ended in second place after
receiving more than 22 percent of the votes according to official
data.

Fifteen persons have presented their documents to the Central
Electoral Commission (CEC) to be nominated as presidential candidates.
However, eight of these, including Armenia’s first ever female
presidential candidate, failed to pay the electoral deposit amounting
to 8 million Armenian drams (roughly US$ 19,800). Several of the
prospective candidates said they could not afford the deposit, and
that the CEC was hence violating their rights. For this reason, the
CEC unprecedentedly declared on January 8 that it would extend the
payment deadline by 48 hours.

The remaining six competitors are believed to be relatively weak
candidates and present no threat to the re-election of the incumbent
President. Only two of these are previously known in Armenian
politics. Raffi Hovannisian became the first Foreign Minister of
independent Armenia in 1992 and is the leader and founder of Heritage
party, and a former deputy of the National Assembly. Hrant Bagratian
is the leader of the liberal Liberty party and was Deputy Prime
Minister in 1990-1993 and Prime Minister in 1993-1996. He is now a
member of the National Assembly. Bagratian is considered to be
responsible for most of the widely lauded liberal reforms of the early
1990s (e.g., land and apartment privatization) signifying Armenia’s
break with the Soviet heritage.

Former Soviet dissident Paruyr Hayrikian has also entered the race,
although his perspectives are not considered to be promising. The
remaining candidates are not regarded as serious ones. One example is
Vardan Sedrakian, who pledges to establish justice in the country
according to the principles of the Armenian epos Sasna Tsrer
(Daredevils of Sasun).

IMPLICATIONS: Armenia’s 2013 presidential race is unusual in the
abundance of registered candidates, but the results seem given already
from the outset. Sargsyan will in all likelihood be reelected on
February 18, probably in the first round. This will enable his
administration to continue the reforms it has initiated over five more
years. While these reforms are far reaching and affect most sectors of
society, they nevertheless enjoy limited popularity among the Armenian
public, which wants immediate improvement of living standards.

Tsarukian has presented no explanation for his decision not to run in
these elections. The PA, which has a reputation for being pro-Russian,
even sent a delegation led by Tsarukian to Brussels, seemingly
indicating Tsarukian’s intention to run. Tsarukian’s behavior can be
taken to indicate that he does not object in principle to the current
government’s policies and stands to gain more from cooperating with it
rather than opposing it. In addition, Tsarukian likely views his party
as the successor to Sargsyan’s Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) after
the next elections in 2018, when Sargsyan will not be entitled for
nomination. While this does not necessarily mean that Tsarukian views
himself as the country’s next president, the assumption is
substantiated by the fact that the PA refuses to term itself
`opposition,’ instead preferring the unique term `alternative party.’
Rumors have circulated that Tsarukian was threatened, for example by
the prospect of opening a criminal case against him similar to that
against former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian who is now a PA
member, but no evidence has been presented to substantiate these
allegations.

Ter-Petrosian cited his high age, 68, as a reason not to run in the
elections. This seems unconvincing, however, and a more likely
explanation is his dwindling popularity since 2008 as shown, in
particular, by a Gallup International poll in December. This means
that his political organization Armenian National Congress is either
dead or needs another leader.The parties presenting themselves as
opposition, including four factions in the National Assembly, failed
to nominate a common candidate capable of competing with Sargsyan and
local analysts argue that the opposition has done everything to help
his victory. Sargsyan will hence face few obstacles to reelection on
February 18. Sargsyan is backed by the large RPA, which controls 71
seats in 131-member parliament and at least 60 percent of Armenia’s
local municipalities.

In addition, three smaller parties and the organization of Karabakh
war veterans, Yerkrapah, said they would support his candidacy. This
means that the PA party will not honor the provisions of a memorandum
signed in February 2011, where it pledged to support Sargsyan in the
next presidential elections. In contrast, most other parties decided
not to nominate their members for presidency and only two candidates,
Hovannisian and Bagratian, enjoy the support of a political party
during the elections.

As Sargsyan’s victory seems guaranteed – according to polls conducted
in December he could win 60 to 70 percent of the votes in the first
round – his promise to hold Armenia’s best ever elections on February
18 seems realistic. Armenia’s ability to hold truly democratic
presidential elections, which has not been demonstrated in previous
ballots, is an important precondition for the credibility of the
country’s European orientation. This time, there will be no need for
violations, which according to critics have been a clear factor in
securing previous election victories for RPA candidates. In these
elections, Armenian authorities will have a unique opportunity to
demonstrate its commitment to improving election conduct. In
particular, the CEC’s decision to extend the deadline for registration
fees is presented as an effort by the authorities to simplify the
process. One candidate was added during this period, increasing the
number of hopefuls to eight, while the remaining seven were not
registered. Some of them, including Narine Mkrtchian, claim that the
requirement of an electoral deposit is a violation of their rights and
say they will bring the issue to court. Otherwise, media and local
observers have presented no reports of discrimination against any
registered candidate.

CONCLUSIONS: If nothing extraordinary happens, the Armenian
authorities face a unique opportunity in the February 18 presidential
elections, as the opposition has failed to nominate a joint candidate.
Tsarukian and Ter-Petrosian, both the potential competitors to
Sargsyan, have refrained from running for president at this time. In
addition, the main political parties outside government, including
those in parliament, have decided not to present candidates for the
presidency and to refrain from supporting any candidate. This will
allow Sargsyan to be re-elected in a competitive and clean electoral
process. In turn, this will enable him to continue reforming the
country for another five years, possibly with the same team headed by
the Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.

AUTHOR’S BIO: Haroutiun Khachatrian is a political and economic
analyst based in Yerevan, Armenia. He is the author of: `Karabakh
Conflict. Variants of Settlement: Concepts and Reality’ (co-authored
with Ali Abasov), 2006.

Armenian National Security Service gives details on Hayrikyan shooting case

February 09, 2013 | 16:21

YEREVAN. – There are objective prerequisites to be able solve the case
into the assassination attempt that was staged against Armenia’s
presidential candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union
Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan, who is recovering at hospital from a
gunshot wound.

Specifically, a Nagant M1895 Revolver was found at the home of one of
the arrestees and, according to the opinion by experts, the bullet
that was found at the scene of the incident was fired from this gun,
the National Security Service Press Center informs.

In addition, in their testimonies the arrestees noted the developments
that occurred on the day of – and several days prior to – the incident,
and these developments fully – or partially – match the information that
was received prior to the arrest of the suspects.

At the same time, the body that is conducting the criminal proceedings
continues to check the other details which the arrestees have given
and the remaining theories which were made at the start of the
investigation.

As Armeian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, an assassination attempt was
made against presidential candidate, opposition National
Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan, on January 31 at
around 11:20pm in downtown Yerevan, in front of his home. Hayrikyan
was shot and hospitalized with a gunshot wound. He underwent a
successful surgery on the morning of February 1, and a bullet – which
was located in the soft tissues of his right elbow shoulder – was
removed.

A criminal case is opened in connection with the assassination attempt
against Hayrikyan. It is launched on charges of carrying out an
assassination attempt against a statesman, political or public figure,
which – that is, the attempt – is carried out to end this person’s noted
activities. This crime is punishable by imprisonment for 12-20 years,
or life in prison. The National Security Service is conducting the
investigation. And on Thursday, formerly convicted Khachatur Poghosyan
(born in 1966), and Samvel Harutyunyan (born in 1972) were arrested on
suspicion of carrying out an assassination attempt against Paruyr
Hayrikyan.