Author: Badalian Vardan

“YOU SAVED THE NAME OF ARTSAKH FROM BEING OBSERVED A COUNTRY OF TOTALITARIAN REGIME.”

Monday, 23 July 2012 15:33

Our press received an open letter addressed to presidential candidate
Vitali Balasanyan which runs as follows:

“An open letter to our people’s candidate Vitali Balasanyan

Dear Vitali Balasanyan, the elections took place, the President
of the country is known, the picture of the coming 5 years is more
than clear and distinct. Despite everything we, being your faithful
supporters, want to express our thankfulness to you for the hope and
enthusiasm you propagated during this past month. Undoubtedly you were
supported by the Artsakh people and never by the political leaders
/who were concerned with preserving their posts and not with electing
a president/, the oligarchy, and what is the most important thing, by
the public authorities. You introduced your programme to the people,
so simply and sincerely, and the people admitted you with the same
frankness. Our people did not search a savior in your person, they
saw in you the same soldier ready to serve his nation with all his
responsibility and compassion. Mr. Balasanyan, Artsakh people really
wanted you to be elected, some of us just could not get rid of the
slavery spirit dominating in their hearts.

We also want to thank you for saving our country’s image as you,
remaining the true soldier of our Homeland, proved to the whole world
with your nomination that here we have conscious people living on
this land and not just a crowd to be driven where one wants. You
saved the reputation of Artsakh not to be observed a country of
totalitarian rule.

We hope your struggle has not been completed, we will support you
for the bright future of our country, for our identity and we ask
you never to leave us alone, please, lead us as you led your soldiers
and we shall achieve the desired victory.

We assure that we are not in despair, of course, we are a bit
disappointed but not discouraged.

Be sure that this 32.5 percent is the unbending, courageous and
faithful part of our population that will always support you.”

IRAN’S SPIRITUAL LEADER THREATENS TO BOOST URANIUM ENRICHMENT IF SANCTIONS PERSIST

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 23, 2012 – 18:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Iran will start enriching uranium to 56-percent
level if Israel and Western world keep on pressurizing the Islamic
Republic with sanctions, Iranian religious leader Seyed Reza Taghavi
said, RIA Novosti reported citing Kabir News.

“Currently Tehran produces 20-percent-enriched uranium but we will
transform it to 56-percent-enriched uranium if Western countries
continue their hostile viewpoint against Iran. All the restrictions
and sanctions are because of the great power of the Islamic
Republic.” Seyed Reza Taghavi added.

Uranium enrichment is a central issue in Iran’s controversial nuclear
program. Currently the Islamic Republic possesses 20-percent-enriched
uranium which can be turned into 90-percent highly-enriched, enough
for producing a nuclear bomb.

Taghavi also warned that “if Israel makes any mistake,” Iran “will
target the heart of Tel Aviv directly from Tehran,” adding that
“Iran will not bow in front of the massive sanctions from Western
countries,” Kabir News said.

Western nations claim Iran’s nuclear energy research is a cover for
atomic weapons production, which Tehran has consistently denied.

ISRAELI OPPOSITION LEADER SAYS HE WON’T BACK MILITARY “ADVENTURES”

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 23, 2012 – 17:55 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s former
top political partner put him on notice on Monday, July 23 he would
not back Israeli military “adventures”, comments that appeared to
caution against possible action against Iran, Reuters reported.

Shaul Mofaz, now opposition leader, made the remarks less than a week
after pulling his centrist Kadima party out of the governing coalition,
where he served as vice premier for more than two months.

As a member of Netanyahu’s security cabinet, Mofaz was privy to
deliberations on Iran’s nuclear program.

“Kadima will not embark on any operational adventures that will risk
the future of our sons and daughters, and the future of Israel’s
citizens,” Mofaz told a news conference that focused largely on
a revolt inside Kadima by four lawmakers who wanted to rejoin the
government.

In Israeli parlance the Hebrew term “operational” has a strictly
military connotation. Mofaz is a former chief of Israel’s armed forces
and an ex-defense minister.

Israeli prime ministers have traditionally consulted with opposition
leaders on major military operations. But in 1981 Menachem Begin
ignored then opposition leader Shimon Peres’s warnings against bombing
Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor.

Mofaz’s opposition increases the political risks for Netanyahu in his
decision-making over Iran, especially if an operation went wrong and
he faced any inquiry over it later.

Recent opinion polls show most Israelis would oppose any unilateral
strike on Iran.

Mofaz’s comments appeared to echo those of former Israeli security
officials who have publicly spoken against any go-it-alone attack
on Iran’s nuclear facilities, with some saying such an assault could
backfire by spurring Tehran to speed up uranium enrichment.

AZERBAIJAN HAS UNLEASHED DECIDEDLY DANGEROUS RACE OF ARMAMENTS – UN

news.am
July 23, 2012 | 19:56

The report of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon “Conventional arms
control at the regional and subregional levels” was circulated at
the United Nations on Monday. The report mentioned violations of the
Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe by Azerbaijan.

“The Treaty’s fundamental role and significance has grown, especially
in the South Caucasus region where, unfortunately, Azerbaijan has
unleashed a decidedly dangerous race of armaments.

According to official information on implementation of the Treaty on
Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, as of 1 January 2012, Azerbaijan
significantly exceeded its established ceilings in three categories
of Treaty-limited equipment. The Azerbaijani holdings in battle
tanks were 381 (permitted ceiling is 220) and in artillery are 516
(permitted ceiling is 285). In 2011 there was a sizeable increase
of holdings in artillery (47) as well as in the categories of attack
helicopters (3 to 5) and armoured combat vehicles (106).

Unfortunately Azerbaijan failed to reflect the exceeding of its
ceiling of armoured combat vehicles – 287 against 220 – permitted by
the Treaty.

The manifold increase of Azerbaijan’s military budget over the
last years (the defence budget for 2012 is $3.47 billion) and
the persistent aggressive and harsh anti-Armenian rhetoric of the
Azerbaijani leadership also increase the gap between the two nations,
heighten the tension in the region of the South Caucasus and seriously
undermine the negotiation process aimed at the peaceful settlement of
existing problems, particularly the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The
negligent position of Azerbaijan in this regard has a very negative
impact on the efforts of Armenia to promote an atmosphere of trust
and cooperation in the region.”

The report was issued based on the documents presented by the UN
member states, including those presented by Armenia.

SURVEY: SMALL PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION TAKE HOLIDAYS
NAZIK ARMENAKYAN

ArmeniaNow
23.07.12 | 14:25

Survey results announced by the Armenian National Association of
Consumers Monday reveals that 25-30 percent of the Armenian population
takes vacation.

Association president Melita Hakobyan said during a press conference
that socioeconomic hardship forces the rest of the population to
spend entire years without a holiday, while some 2-5 percent take
rest at homes of relatives or friends.

“The socioeconomic conditions are more difficult now than they
were several years ago. Who makes use of external, or even perhaps
domestic, tourism? Who is vacationing in Tsaghkadzor, Lake Sevan,
or in Jermuk? They ask for unreasonable prices,” she noted.

According to Hakobyan, Armenia’s domestic tourism needs to be made
more affordable. She says about 20 percent of the population vacation
domestically.

Affaires stratégiques
19 juillet 2012

L’élection du président dans le Haut-Karabagh relance les débats sur
ce conflit latent

19 juillet L’ancien dirigeant devrait être réélu sans surprise mais la
tenue des élections dans ce territoire au statut non défini provoque
des réactions au sein de la communauté internationale, principalement
à Bakou. Les conséquences de ce scrutin devraient néanmoins être avant
tout internes et avoir un impact limité sur les relations entre les
différents acteurs.

Bako Sahakian est d’ores et déjà annoncé vainqueur du scrutin qui se
tient aujourd’hui dans la capitale du Haut-Karabagh, Stepanakert. Face
à lui, Vitali Balassanian, un général à la retraite et Arkady
Sogomonyan, professeur à l’Université agricole arménienne. Ces trois
candidats ont peu de choses en commun mais prônent tous l’intégration
des représentants locaux du Haut-Karabagh dans les négociations sur le
statut du territoire. Actuellement, ces négociations sont
principalement menées par le groupe de Minsk, coprésidé par la Russie,
la France et les Etats-Unis, en partenariat avec l’Arménie et
l’Azerbaïdjan.

En dépit d’un cessez-le-feu signé entre Erevan et Bakou en 1994, le
Haut-Karabagh ne dispose toujours pas d’un statut défini et reconnu,
et des tirs sont régulièrement échangés. Ils auraient causés la mort
d’une vingtaine de soldats depuis fin 2011. La région aujourd’hui très
majoritairement arménienne constitue une enclave en Azerbaïdjan,
musulman et turcophone. Le Haut-Karabagh s’était unilatéralement
déclaré indépendant en septembre 1991. L’Azerbaïdjan a depuis
régulièrement menacé de reprendre le contrôle de la région par la
force. Un communiqué du ministère azerbaïdjanais des Affaires
étrangères a qualifié « d’illégitime » ce scrutin sous « occupation »
arménienne.

La Haute Représentante de l’Union pour les affaires étrangères et la
politique de sécurité Catherine Ashton a pour sa part déclaré que
l’Union européenne « ne reconnaît pas le cadre constitutionnel et
légal au sein duquel les élections seront tenues. » Elle poursuit : «
ces ‘élections’ ne doivent pas porter préjudice à la détermination du
statut futur du Haut-Karabagh dans cadre des négociations et du
traitement pacifique du conflit. » 99 000 électeurs sont néanmoins
attendus aujourd’hui.

Christians Will Leave With Americans

Igor Muradyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:54:25 – 13/07/2012

The Christians of the Near East may have played a big, maybe even a
crucial role in the liberation of Arabs from the Ottoman empire, and
later in the struggle against the European colonists. The Christians
had an important role even in the Palestine movement. The Christians
fulfilled political, social, cultural and professional functions in
Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine.

In the past decade not only the number but also the functions of the
Christians shrank. The Western great powers have offered closer
political cooperation with the Christians in the region which,
according to the intellectuals of the Christian communities, would
make them hostages, and it would end up in a disaster. Besides, among
the Christians of the region not only rightist and conservative but
also leftist moods and orientation are observed which did not
facilitate formation of a pro-West `fifth column’.

Russia has always refrained from close relations with the Christian
communities of the Near East because viewed them as companions of the
Western interests and preferred to cooperate with leftist (or rather
pro-leftist) Muslim movements and groups. Now Russia is trying to
treat the Christians, including Catholics of Lebanon and Syria more
attentively. In the autumn of 2011 the patriarch of the Russian
Orthodox Church visited Lebanon and Syria but time has passed, and the
meaning of these intentions is questioned.

In Moscow hardly any politician or understanding of the importance of
cooperation with the Christian communities of the Near East for the
Russian policy is found. Earlier Iran tried to view some Christian
communities as possible partners but only the orthodox ones, which was
not successful. Nevertheless, the Shia movements and communities were
able to cooperate closely with the Christian communities of Lebanon,
which has an essential political importance for the country.

Now it is clear that despite the absence of a visible disaster the
Christian communities will have to leave the region. Some rightist
Christian activists of Lebanon say after the removal of the regime of
Alavis in Syria the Christians will live better, and they will get
real social and political rights. In fact, they do not give any
forceful argument. The problem is aggravated because the political
situation in Syria, Lebanon and Egypt is becoming irreversible, which
will affect the Christians who are already having hard times.

It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the United States,
the EU and the leading European states pay no attention to the state
of the Christians of Syria and Iraq and simply ignore the future of
these communities. The multi-million Christian community of Egypt also
receives little attention. Vatican does not participate in the destiny
of the Near East. In this meaning, the attitude of the West can be
explained by the lack of interest of Catholic and Protestant states in
the destiny of the Orthodox communities which is not something new.

However, the cause of indifference is the interest of the Western
community in the move of Christians from the Near East because that
would ensure more `free’ horizons for political maneuvers in the
region. The Christian communities are indeed hostages and the West
resolves this issue in a `humanitarian’ and `noble’ manner, `clearing’
the region of them. The United States has created a structure headed
by a vibrant lady who deals with this issue. But what change has this
lady brought?

This is the Anglo-American policy on Christians in the region.
However, there is only an interim scenario. In a far-reaching
perspective, the United States and the United Kingdom have made a
decision on a strategic movement, they do not want to leave an
unresolved problem in the region to which they would have to come back
in future.

France which has relied on the Near East’s Catholic (Uniat)
communities understands that by `leaving’ it will lose its presence in
the region. France is conducting a policy of protection of rights of
Christian minorities, pushing an important bill through the
parliament, the decision of the government has been analyzed
thoroughly. But will France be able to stop the process alone, or even
with some support from the EU?

APA, Azerbaijan
July 21 2012

Armenians violate ceasefire in directions of Goranboy, Aghdam and Fuzuli

[ 21 Jul 2012 11:13 ]
Baku-APA. Armenian armed forces, which keep under occupation a part of
Azerbaijani lands, continue violating ceasefire in the contact line of
troops.

Press service of the Defense Ministry told APA that the units of
Armenian armed forces fired on positions of Azerbaijani Army from the
occupied areas near Tapgaragoyunlu village of Azerbaijan’s Goranboy
region, near Shikhlar, Shurabad and Shirvanli villages of Azerbaijan’s
Aghdam region, near Gorgan and Ashagi Seyidakhmadli villages of
Azerbaijan’s Fuzuli region, as well as on the nameless heights
yesterday and this night.

The enemy was silenced by retaliation fire.

Armenia’s State Revenue Committee collects less tax than in May

news.am
July 22, 2012 | 00:53

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s State Revenue Committee (SRC) has provided taxes,
duties and fees to the state budget totaling AMD 72.3 billion, the SRC
Press Service informs.

Over the first six months, SRC has provided AMD 395.3 billion which is
5.4% more than the last year’s indicator of same period.

However, taxes collected by SRC in June have significantly decreased
compared with May which made AMD74.1 billion.

Moreover, monthly collections on taxes have dropped while ones on
state duties and fees have not had any essential changes.

Decrease of tax collections has been mostly conditioned with the
underperformance of value added tax (VAT).

International mediators should review old approaches on Karabakh – official

news.am
July 22, 2012 | 00:44

STEPANAKERT. – The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs secured themselves by
the statement on the outcome of the presidential elections held in
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), head of the Public Council for
Foreign and Security Policy of Karabakh Masis Mayilyan told Armenian
News-NEWS.am.

Regarding the extract from the statement, claiming that `the Co-Chairs
acknowledge the need for the de facto authorities in NK to try to
organize democratically the public life of their population with such
a procedure,’ Mayilyan said that the tone of the statement has changed
by the Co-Chairs and other international players regarding the
Karabakh elections.

`If holding democratic procedure in Karabakh was criticized before,
now the Co-Chairs acknowledge the need for holding elections. By
developing democracy in Karabakh, we set preconditions for the
international recognition of its independence. It is necessary, but
not enough,’ Mayilyan added. `It is the international recognition of
Karabakh, which can hamper military perspective of settling the
Karabakh conflict and provide equal conditions for discussing key
problems of the settlement. The Co-Chairs should review their old
approaches.’

As the agency informed earlier, the Co-Chairs acknowledge the need for
the de facto authorities in Karabakh to try to organize democratically
the public life of their population with such a procedure. However,
the Co-Chairs note that none of their three countries recognizes
Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent and sovereign state.

The Co-Chairs stress that the procedures of July 19 in no way prejudge
the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh or the outcome of the
ongoing negotiations to bring a lasting and peaceful settlement to the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.