Author: Badalian Vardan

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MEETS THE RUSSIAN MINISTER OF INTERIOR

armradio.am
25.07.2012 11:06

President Serzh Sargsyan received today delegation headed by the
Minister of Interior of the Russian Federation, General Lieutenant
of Police Vladimir Kolokoltsev, President’s Press Office reported.

The parties underscored that the existing high-level political dialogue
between Armenia and Russia and strategic partnership provide a solid
base for developing and deepening cooperation in all areas and on
different levels, including interaction between the law enforcement
bodies.

The Minister of Interior the Russian Federation and the Chief of
RA Police Vladimir Gasparian, who was also present at the meeting,
presented to Serzh Sargsyan results of the cooperation between the
law enforcement bodies of the two states and future plans

LOW INCOME KEEPS INFLATION LOW

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 12:10:08 – 25/07/2012

The economic activity index of Armenia was 7.8% in the first half of
this year compared with the same period of the past year. The National
Statistics Service informs that growth was reported in almost all the
spheres. Manufactured goods grew by 13%, GAP grew by 8.1%, services
grew by 12%, electric power production grew by 9.1%.

According to the NSS, the average nominal salary grew by 6.2%. Trade
increased by 8.2%, including export by 13.5 and import by 6.7.
Building continues to decline.

Commenting on these indices, Member of Parliament Artsvik Minasyan,
ARF, told Lragir.am that the economic activity index does not indicate
growth and progress. He says the economic potential of Armenia is
not used at full. “On the one hand, we have huge issues relating to
unemployment, salaries, income. On the other hand, our country is
not competitive in the world and in the region. It means that this
pace cannot be satisfactory,” he said.

According to Minasyan, as building continues to decline, it leads
to growth of unemployment, housing issue, decline of industrial
infrastructures. For their part, these factors affect the dynamics
of economic development and the quality of life.

“Where economic activity is explained by the growth of the GAP,
we should keep in mind that this is a season when production of
agricultural products, as well as the high prices, helps establish
this index. If we calculate the real index, we will not see a
significant growth. The same refers to manufactured goods. We have
13%, a double-digit growth, but statistics of industries shows that
Armenia continues to boost production of metals which is not the
result of the economic structure and correct economic policy,” he said.

He says production of non-metal mines is at an absolutely low level
and is an important sphere not only in terms of environment but also
the economy.

The Consumer Price Index totaled 102.2% in the first half of this
year compared with the first half of last year. Inflation is only 2.2.
Artsvik Minasyan says this is related to income of households.

“When citizens do not have enough income to buy one product or another,
its price cannot soar, of course. In other words, inflation is low
because people are half-hungry. This is not a good result,” he notes.

The standard of living falls, people are desolated, they increasingly
think about migrating to earn a decent living in other countries.

AZERBAIJANI POLITICAL ANALYST: SO-CALLED NAGORNO-KARABAKH ‘ELECTIONS’ SHOW POLITICAL MOOD OF LOCAL POPULATION

Trend
July 24 2012
Azerbaijan

The so-called ‘presidential elections’ conducted by separatists in
Nagorno-Karabakh on July 19 have shown the political mood of the
local Armenian population.

This is the first time when less than 50 per cent of the ‘electorate’
at any ‘elections’ voted for the incumbent ‘president’. That is,
‘the president was elected’ by a small number of votes, director of
the Centre of Political Innovations and Technologies Mubariz Ahmedoglu
told Trend on Monday. The list of ‘voters’ included 99,000 people
with around 48,000 voting for Sahakyan.

“This is about 48 per cent of votes,” he added. “Most of the civilian
population of Nagorno-Karabakh has not voted for the incumbent
‘president’. Most of the servicemen in the Nagorno-Karabakh voted for
Bako Sahakyan who won the elections. There are 22,000 servicemen in
Nagorno-Karabakh, but some people say 30,000. Only 2000 are Armenians
of Nagorno-Karabakh and the rest are Armenians, drafted for military
service from Armenia. If one excludes 20,000 (and perhaps 28,000)
from this number of votes given for Sahakyan, the remaining votes
will be equal to those given for the opposition candidate, serviceman
Balasanyan.”

Ahmedoglu thinks that if one takes away 28,000 votes of Armenian
soldiers given to Sahakyan, it will turn out that less people voted
for Balasanyan than for Sahakyan. He lost 11,000 votes compared to
the previous ‘presidential elections’.

“According to opposition candidate Balasanyan, the internal situation
in Nagorno-Karabakh is so tense that people can move to the Azerbaijani
side as in 1923,” he said. “Indeed, a referendum on the status of
Nagorno-Karabakh was held in August 1923. The Armenian part of the
population voted to remain within Azerbaijan. It was then that the
Bureau of the Azerbaijani Communist Party submitted the decision to
the Caucasian Bureau of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) for
approval. The Caucasian Bureau made a decision on Nagorno-Karabakh
to remain a part of Azerbaijan. Most members of the Caucasian Bureau
were the Armenians.”

He added that Balasanyan’s statement is recognition of the fact it
is necessary to determine the status of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia
because the Armenians are trying to completely forget this moment
of history. Balasanyan’s participation in the political processes,
defeat in the ‘elections’ and joining the opposition in the near
future will make the processes of Nagorno-Karabakh along with the
processes in East Timor similar.

He stressed that the so-called ‘elections’ in Nagorno-Karabakh showed
the attitude of Armenians living there to the Armenian leadership,
their political course, including the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh,
or joining Armenia. The attitude of Armenians living there to these
issues differs from that of the bandit leadership of Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh.

AIRCRAFT FLYING TO KHANKENDI TO BE CONSIDERED VIOLATORS OF AZERBAIJANI AIR SPACE

Trend
July 24 2012
Azerbaijan

No foreign aircraft can fly through the territory of Azerbaijan
without the permission of the Azerbaijani side, the state civil
aviation administration told Trend, commenting on the Armenian side’s
intentions to commission the airport in Khankendi – the administrative
centre of the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Our position on this issue is clear. We adhere to the norms of
international law and no foreign aircraft can fly on our territory
without our permission,” the administration noted.

The administration pointed to the recent statement by the OSCE Minsk
Group that parties should refrain from the use of force and adhere
to the norms of international law in this matter.

“It’s in our interests. We support this decision,” the administration
said.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the European
Civil Aviation Conference (ICAC) also support the position of
Azerbaijan on this issue.

The administration said in the event of flights of a plane to Khankendi
without the permission of the Azerbaijani side, it will be considered
as violator of the air space of Azerbaijan and this issue will be
decided by the government.

The Armenian side is planning to open the airport in Khankendi, located
in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. President Serzh Sargsyan
promised to be the first passenger which will fly from Khankendi.

As the spokesman of Azerbaijani Airlines AZAL Maharram Safarli said
previously, Armenia has no right to operate the airport in Khankendi.

It is contrary to all international conventions and will not be
allowed by any international organisation, including ICAO.

RUSSIA, ARMENIA MUST CONTINUE CONSOLIDATED EFFORTS TO COUNTER ORGANIZED CRIME – MINISTER

Interfax
July 24 2012
Russia

The Russian and Armenian Interior Ministries must continue their
cooperation in countering organized crime, Russian Interior Minister
Vladimir Kolokoltsev said at a session of the two countries’ senior
law enforcement officers on Monday.

“We need to consolidate our efforts to counter activities of organized
groups and crime rings, the dynamic of our work in this direction
has been steady and positive, with a track record of many joint
operations,” Kolokoltsev said.

In 2011 alone, Russian police arrested 37 people who regarded
themselves as “thieves in law,” 26 of them have already been convicted,
the minister said. Also, 98 criminal gang leaders were arrested. “With
respect to some of them, mainly Armenian citizens, procedures were
conducted jointly. This allowed to significantly increase their
efficiency,” the Russian interior minister said.

Normally, members of trans-border criminal groups commit fraud,
property crime, kidnapping and economic crime, Kolokoltsev said.

Normally, they would be operating in large, economically developed
regions in Russia’s Central, Northwestern and North Caucasus Federal
Districts, while trying to spread their influence to other countries
as well, he said.

“Today our common goal is to protect economy from crime, it is very
important to hold joint search operations, the emphasis should be
made on the preventive work,” Kolokoltsev said.

Cooperation with the Russian Interior Ministry has been dynamic,
Armenian police chief Vladimir Gasparian said, for his part. “No
doubt, the issue on our session’s agenda (countering organized crime)
is relevant both for the Russian Interior Ministry and the Armenian
police because the criminal activity of organized groups and rings is
increasing its influence, so the trend requires a stronger cooperation
between us,” he said.

RF INTERIOR MIN, ARMENIA POLICE TO EXCHANGE REFORM EXPERIENCE

ITAR-TASS
July 24, 2012 Tuesday 09:49 AM GMT+4
Russia

Russia’s Interior Ministry and Armenia’s police will exchange
experience in reforming the interior agencies, Russian Interior
Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev said after a meeting of the two
countries’ joint Interior Board on Monday.

“We agreed that we would exchange experience for carrying out reforms
of our agencies. Russia and Armenia are carrying out such reforms. Our
common goal is to make police highly professional, authoritative.”

“The exchange of experience in this sphere, in my view, will help
us avoid mistakes and half-baked decisions,” the Russian interior
minister stressed.

He also believes that the Russian Interior Ministry and Armenian
police should intensify joint work for combating organised crime.

“It is necessary to consolidate efforts to counter organised crime.
Our work in this field is positive. We conducted many operations
together,” Kolokoltsev said at the joint Interior Board meeting. In his
words, last year alone, Russia’s interior agencies detained 37 persons,
who are set up for gang leaders, 26 of which have been convicted. “We
also detained 98 leaders of major bandit groups. The operations against
some of them, mostly Armenian citizens, were conducted jointly with
Armenia. This allowed us to considerably increase the work efficiency,”
Kolokoltsev said.

He noted that as a rule, participants in trans-border criminal groups
commit fraud, property crimes, people abduction, as well as economic
crimes. As a rule they act in major economically developed regions of
the Central, North Caucasus and North-Western federal districts. But
they try to influence other countries. “Today our common task is
to protect the economy from criminal elements. Special attention is
riveted to joint investigation measures, it is also necessary to place
a special emphasis on the preventive measures,” Kolokoltsev stressed.

Armenia’s police chief Vladimir Gasparyan said for his part that
cooperation with the Russian Interior Ministry has been developing
successfully.

“No doubt that the agenda of our session (combating organised crime)
is important both for the Russian Interior Ministry and Armenia’s
police because criminal activities of organised groups and communities
increase influence. Thus, we must strengthen cooperation,” he said.
Gasparyan stressed that this work should be done in close cooperation.
He urged the Russian colleagues to more actively develop cooperation
in the exchange of information.

The joint Board meeting participants also agreed that Russian and
Armenian policemen will more often communicate directly, and not only
through their leadership.

“We agreed that not only the leaders of our agencies, but also concrete
units of criminal investigation, economic security and others should
interact. Their cooperation is indispensable,” Kolokoltsev told
journalists on Monday.

According to him, several meetings between the leadership of the two
agencies on criminal investigation, economic security have already
been planned.

Kolokoltsev also said that much should be done yet to counter
cybercrime.

He said the next joint Board meeting would focus on interaction in
fighting crimes in information technology.

“This initiative was backed by the Armenian colleagues and the
corresponding units will hold consultations to this effect in the
near future and work out concrete mechanisms for cooperation,” the
Russian interior minister stressed.

At the same time, Kolokoltsev said there are certain spheres where
it would be necessary to step up the activities.

“First of all, this is the joint work on regional organised criminal
communities having trans-border relationship. The separate pack of
issues is to create an effective law enforcement segment in migration
policy,” the Russian minister stressed.

“Integration processes and economic cooperation of our countries
should be based on the joint efforts aimed at fighting crime and
protecting the interests of our citizens,” Kolokoltsev emphasised.

AZERI TROOPS WOUND ARMENIAN VILLAGER

Mediamax
July 23 2012
Armenia

Yerevan, 23 July: Tavush Regional precinct of Armenia’s Police
received a call, at 1310 [0910 gmt] on 21 July, from the hospital
of a military unit stationed in Berd city, informing that Nerkin
Karmiraghbyur village resident Gor P., 25, was transferred to the
hospital for medical assistance and that he had a bullet wound.

It was found out that the villager was wounded on the same day at
around 1200 while carrying out agricultural work in the aforesaid
village, and as a result of the fire shot by an Azerbaijani military
base, the Police press service informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

A forensic medical examination is commissioned.

An investigation is under way.

S. NARISHKIN: THE GENOCIDE IS A TRAGEDY AND YOUR NATION HAD TO SUFFER IT

Delegation led by the chairman of the Russian State Duma Sergey
Narishkin visited the memorial complex of the Armenian Genocide
victims, Tsitsernakaberd. Vice chairman of the Armenian Parliament
Eduard Sharmazanov accompanied the delegation.

As Armenpress.am informs the high-level guests put garland at the
memorial of the Genocide victims and commemorated their memory with
a minute silence.

S. Narishkin has also visited Armenian Genocide Museum Institute and
got acquainted with the examples of the most terrible crime against
humanity which took place on the beginning of previous century. Then he
made a note in the Note-book for the guests. The note especially said:

“The Genocide is a tragedy and your nation had to suffer it. I am
sure that Armenian nation will manage to have peace development and
prosperousness due to its courage, wisdom and strength”.

Then Narishkin planted the symbolic fir in the “Memory Park”.

Narishkin’s meeting with Armenian NA speaker Hovik Abrahamyan is also
scheduled. On the end of the visit two officials will have a briefing
with the journalists at Armenian Parliament.

STEPAN SAFARYAN: WE SHOULD NOT TAKE OFFENCE AT THE STATEMENTS BY INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONSIDERING OUR OWN FOREIGN POLICY

arminfo
Tuesday, July 24, 18:40

The response of international organizations to the presidential
election in Nagorno-Karabakh was not a surprise, Secretary General
of the Heritage party, former MP Stepan Safaryan said during a
press-conference on Tuesday.

“I am not satisfied with the comments by NATO, the European
Union and the OSCE Minsk Group, but we should not take offence
at them considering our own foreign policy. I mean that Armenia
must be more active in presenting the Nagorno-Karabakh problem at
international organizations. We must reach agreement with Azerbaijan
that no statements should be made on this problem at international
organizations. We have no such agreement so far, so, we should not
blame international organizations for appearing with such statements,”
Safaryan said.

HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II DEPARTS FOR ITALY FOR A PONTIFICAL VISITS

ARMRADIO.AM
24.07.2012 17:38

On 24 July His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians, departed for Italy on a Pontifical visit.

During the visit, His Holiness will be meeting with philanthropists
of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to discuss the implementation
and progress of projects they have undertaken at the Mother See.

On 10 August, 2012 the Catholicos of All Armenians will pay a
Pontifical visit to the Armenian Diocese of Romania, where His Holiness
will preside over the re-consecration ceremony of the Hachkatar Holy
Mother of God Church in Suceava, Romania and celebrations of their
500th anniversary.