Author: Badalian Vardan

BAKU COUNTS ON INTL ASSISTANCE IN RESTORING TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

Interfax
May 2 2012
Russia

Azerbaijan’s parliament has urged the world community to put pressure
on Armenia in order to get the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settled.

The Azeri lawmakers’ appeal is set forth in a statement, adopted on
Tuesday, in connection with the 20th anniversary of the seizure of
the Azeri city of Shusha in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The occupation of Shusha marked a stage in Armenia’s military
aggression, which aimed to annex the Nagorno-Karabakh region of
Azerbaijan,” it says.

“Unfortunately, international organizations’ acts on Nagorno-Karabakh
have not been implemented and the Minsk Group has not justified the
hopes, pinned on it,” the Azeri parliament said.

“We hope the world community will demonstrate its unbendable
determination to do away with this conflict, which is a threat to
peace and security in the South Caucasus and in Europe as a whole,
and urge Armenia to give up the policy of aggression and help restore
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity,” the statement says.

WORKSHOP DEDICATED TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE HELD IN BULGARIA

news.am
May 03, 2012 | 19:19

A workshop dedicated to the 97h anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
was held on May 2-3 in Bulgaria’s Veliko Tarnovo city.

Among the speakers were Armenian and Bulgarian professors and students
from Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, Varna, Plovdiv and Ruse.

Armenia’s Ambassador to Bulgaria Arsen Shoyan addressed the
participants with an opening speech.

On the same day Ambassador met with the Mayor of Veliko Tarnovo Daniel
Panov to discuss renovation of the Armenian church destroyed in the
beginning of 20th century.

END OF MASHTOTS PARK SAGA?: PRESIDENT ORDERS DISMANTLING OF CONTROVERSIAL PARK KIOSKS DURING CAMPAIGNING TOUR
By Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow
02.05.12 | 11:25

Photo:

In what was likely a pre-election publicity stunt, on May 1 President
Serzh Sargsyan visited the Yerevan park that has been a point of
environmental protests in the past three months and urged the city
mayor, Taron Margaryan, accompanying him on the trip to get the
“ugly pavilions” dismantled.

“You did everything right, made the right decision on the temporary
placement of pavilions. In fact, it all was supposed to be dismantled
within two or three years. But, my dear Taron, you can see yourself
that this is not so nice, and it would be nice to find a way to
dismantle it. That would be the right decision,” said President
Sargsyan, who is also the leader of the ruling Republican Party of
Armenia (RPA), now leading his political force’s campaign ahead of the
May 6 parliamentary elections. (Mayor Margaryan is also a senior member
of the party and high on the RPA proportional list). The comments
appeared on the presidential website along with video provided to
television companies.

It is more than 80 days that environmental activists have been
regularly on protest in the park off Yerevan’s central Mashtots
Boulevard trying to prevent the construction of trading pavilions
that had earlier been dismantled from the sidewalk of another downtown
street as part of the program of the mayor’s office aimed at removing
illegal shops and kiosks from city streets.

A month ago, well-known scholars jointed the young activists, setting
up 10 so-called “Dismantling Brigades” that since then have three times
attempted to dismantle the pavilions by themselves but each encountered
heavy police cordons. The last such attempt was made on April 29 and it
turned nasty as clashes between activists and police resulted in some
light injuries on both sides, with seven activists briefly detained.

The dismantlers vowed to make the next attempt on May 6, Election Day.

It is this circumstance that many say proved decisive for Sargsyan
to visit the site and urge the mayor to end the strife.

Meanwhile, the public organizations dealing with the problem of the
Mashtots Park issued a statement saying that the responsibility for the
illegal installation of the shops is on the mayor of Yerevan and that
power in the city must be returned to its citizens. They also called
for the condemnation of what they believe to be police misconduct,
instead of calling it achievement and thanking police officers for
their service (which Sargsyan did on his trip to the park).

“Serzh Sargsyan did not address the rights of Armenian citizens and the
protection of the prevailing public interest in any way,” protesters’
said in their statement, demanding that the decision on construction
in the party be officially recognized as null and void.

The mayor’s office has not presented any documents that would confirm
the right to construction in what is public area or the right to
ownership of the kiosks. Moreover, there was some talk about some
of the pavilions belonging to Mayor Margaryan himself. The Council
of Elders, which is authorized to make such decisions, has not shown
any document either. In this regard, MPs representing the opposition
Heritage party have sued the mayor’s office.

Member of the first dismantling brigade, blogger Armen Hovhannisyan,
who was briefly detained during the Sunday action, said that such
issues are resolved with the participation of representative bodies
and within the framework of the law. He wondered why there was a need
to change the decision a couple of days before the elections. They
should have waited for the decision of the court, he said.

Meanwhile, RPA spokesman Eduard Sharmazanov has already spurned
the talk of critics that the U-turn in the Mashtots standoff is a
campaign ploy.

“Any issue that has a serious public resonance is also the issue of
the head of state,” Sharmazanov told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

PAUL GUIRAGOSSIAN’S PAINTING TO BE AUCTIONED AT MATTHEW’S GALLERIES

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 2, 2012 – 13:19 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Matthew’s Galleries of Lake Oswego, Oregon, U.S.
announced a summer art auction, June 19, 2012, ARTFIX Daily reports.

The gallery is seeking consignments of American and International art
from Old Masters to the 20th century, including paintings, watercolors,
fine prints and sculpture.

Already included in the sale is “Family” by Paul Guiragossian
(Armenian, 1926-1993). The 15″ x 18″ oil on canvas was painted about
1963, and carries an estimate of $10,000-15,000. From the selection
of American art is “Guarding the Move” by Ace Powell (1912-1978),
a Western oil on canvas measuring 20″ x 30″ with a guess of
$3,000-4,000. Other paintings by American 19th & 20th century artists
include Arthur W. Best, John J. Englehart, Clyde Leon Keller, etc.

Matthew’s Galleries was opened by its current owner/director Matthew
W. Gerber in 1968. The specialty has always been quality 19th &
20th century American paintings with some European works as well.

Paul Guiragossian was born in Jerusalem in 1926 and settled in Beirut
with his family in 1939 becoming a Lebanese citizen. He started to
paint in 1942 at the Yarkon Studio. In 1957, he received a scholarship
to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. In 1961-1962, he
spent a year studying and painting in Paris. The rest of his life he
spent living and painting in Beirut. In his lifetime, Guiragossian
became Lebanon’s most celebrated painter. Upon his death in 1993,
Guiragossian received a state funeral.

ARMENIAN EX-PRESIDENT OUSTED FROM DOMESTIC POLICY – PAPER

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 2, 2012 – 10:13 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Viktor Soghomonyan, coordinator for Armenia’s former
President Robert Kocharian’s office told media three months ago that
Kocharian will make a statement ahead of the parliamentary elections
due on May 6, Haykakan Zhamanak paper says.

In addition, some media reports claimed Kocharian is going to speak
2 week prior to the elections. It is still unknown why ex-leader has
changed his mind; the daily could not reach Soghomonyan over the phone.

Anyway, the ex-President will hardly speak now, with only 4 days
left before the vote; he may do it, though, merely theoretically,
according to the paper.

Observers assume that Kocharian may be left out of internal political
processes unless he makes some moves by the end of the election
campaign, Haykakan Zhamanak says.

NKR MFA: THE CRIMES COMMITTED DURING THE OPERATION OF RING HAVEN’T GOT THE PROPER ASSESSMENT BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Noyan Tapan
02-05-2012

Commentary of the NKR MFA Information Department

In late April – early May 1991, special police detachments (OMON) of
the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, with the support of
the USSR Interior Ministry’s troops, launched a large-scale punitive
operation of Ring, the essence of which was to exile the Armenian
population of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, the Shahumian
region, and some regions of Northern Artsakh (the Khanlar, Dashkesan,
Kedabek, and Shamkhor regions of the former Azerbaijani SSR).

As a result of this operation, dozens of Armenian settlements were
completely devastated, destroyed or populated by Azerbaijanis. Tens
of thousands of people were deported, hundreds were killed. It was the
operation of Ring characterized by unprecedented cruelty and mass human
rights violations that dramatically increased the level of tension in
the region and transferred the Karabakh conflict to a military plane.

The report of the CSCE Mission of February 28, 1992 noted that
“particularly serious escalation took place in April-May 1991 when the
Soviet Army, with the support of the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry’s
units, deported Armenians from many villages of the region. The
deportation was carried out with extreme cruelty”.

The events, which took place during the operation of Ring, were
reflected in the documents of some international organizations, became
a subject of hearings at the Human Rights Committee of the Supreme
Soviet of the Russian Federation and got the corresponding assessment
in the resolutions of the European Parliament and the U.S. Senate.

The Human Rights Center of Memorial Moscow Association stated gross
violations of the basic human rights: “They grossly violated the right
of every person to life, liberty, and security; they used tortures,
carried out arbitrary arrests and detentions and committed numerous
property offenses. The practice of people’s deportation acquired a
mass character. Particularly cynical these violations were made by
the fact that the mass violence against the civilians was committed by
the law enforcement agencies. The responsibility for this rests with
the top leadership of the Azerbaijani Republic, Azerbaijan’s Interior
Ministry and Committee for State Security (KGB), as well as with the
leadership of the USSR Interior Ministry, Ministry of Defense and the
Command of the USSR MIA Interior Troops. These crimes cast a shadow
also on the top leadership of the USSR”.

On May 1, 1991, the U.S. Senate unanimously adopted a resolution
condemning the crimes committed by the authorities of the USSR
and Azerbaijan against the Armenian population. The resolution,
in particular, condemned “the attacks on innocent men, women and
children in Nagorno-Karabakh, in the adjacent Armenian settlements and
in Armenia; the large-scale use of military force and firing of the
unarmed population on the eastern and southern borders of Armenia”,
as well as contained calls “to put an end to the blockades and other
forms of force and the terror against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh”.

On May 25, a draft statement on the situation in some regions of
Armenia and Azerbaijan was submitted to the session of the Fourth
Congress of People’s Deputies of the Russian Soviet Federative
Socialist Republic (RSFSR) for consideration and was approved by
the overwhelming majority of votes. The statement, in particular,
noted that “in accordance with the internationally accepted norms
and conventions on human rights, the deportation of civilians must
be immediately stopped, the hostages must be freed, and the suspects
on cases of armed clashes must be transferred to the prosecution of
the USSR Prosecutor’s Office”.

However, the crimes committed during the operation of Ring haven’t
got the proper political and legal assessment by the international
community and their organizers and executors are still unpunished.

This became a precedent for new military crimes and inhumane actions
by Azerbaijan against the peaceful Armenian population.

The deported residents are still unable to return to their homes and
they haven’t received any reimbursement so far.

Unfortunately, we also have to state that the Armenian villages
deported during the operation of Ring are not mentioned in any
of the documents proposed by the international mediators for the
Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement.

NIKOL PACHINIAN DEMANDE L’ANNULATION DE LA CANDIDATURE DE SON ADVERSAIRE SAMVEL ALEXANIAN
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 2 mai 2012

Le redacteur en chef de Haykakan Jamanak, Nikol Pachinian, candidat
au scrutin majoritaire dans une circonscription a Erevan, a demande a
la Commission electorale locale d’annuler la candidature de l’homme
d’affaires Samvel Alexanian, puisque celui-ci aurait ouvertement
viole le Code electoral, en distribuant de l’argent et en donnant des
promesses de pot-de-vin lors d’une rencontre dans une ecole secondaire
de cette circonscription. M. Alexanian, qui a dementi avoir distribue
de l’argent, a en outre menace de traduire en justice le quotidien
Joxovurd qui l’avait denonce.

Ambassade de France en Armenie

Service de presse

ARMENIANS AGAINST MILITARY SERVICE OF THEIR SONS IN NAGORNO KARABAKH

APA
May 1 2012
Azerbaijan

Seyran Ohanyan’s absurd response to mother of suicide-soldier:
“Armenian citizen Torgom Sarukhanyan’s compulsory military service
in Nagorno Karabakh is beyond the power of Armenian defense ministry”

Baku. Rashad Suleymanov – APA. Parents of Armenian soldiers are against
the military service of their sons in Karabakh. APA reports quoting
the Armenian mass media that mother of soldier Torgom Sarukhanyan, who
committed suicide during his military service in Karabakh in February,
2011, Lena Sarukhanyan called the service of Armenian citizens in
so-called “Nagorno Karabakh Army” illegal and demanded explanation.

Lena Sarukhanyan addressed the defense ministry, prime minister,
military prosecutor and ombudsman and asked to explain why the Armenian
citizens are sent to Karabakh for military service. Defense minister
Seyran Ohanyan gave unclear answer to her letter. The minister said:
“Compulsory military service by resident of Gumru city, citizen of
Armenia Torgom Sarukhanyan in Nagorno Karabakh is beyond the power
of Armenia’s defense ministry”.

The military prosecutor said that according to the 46th article of
Armenia’s Constitution, every citizen is obliged to participate in
defense of Armenia. According to the law on military service, the
citizens at age of 18-27 are obliged to do military service in the
Armenian armed forces.

The soldier’s parent is planning to launch campaign against the
military service of Armenia’s young citizens in Karabakh.

Armenia officially declared itself as a guarantee of security of
Nagorno Karabakh, but it doesn’t officially recognize the independence
of Nagorno Karabakh.

AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENTARIANS STRONGLY RESPOND TO CRITICISM BY SOME FORCES IN GERMANY

APA
May 1 2012
Azerbaijan

Baku. Parvin Abbasov – APA. Azerbaijani parliamentarians have strongly
responded to criticism by some forces in Germany against Azerbaijan.

APA reports that MP Chingiz Ganizadeh said that this criticism is
led by Bundestag’s Green Party faction and ombudsman of Germany,
as well as some persons in Azerbaijan.

MP Fazail Ibrahimli criticized Germany and said that Armenian lobby
is behind of this campaign.

Deputy Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) Ali Ahmadov said
that some forces in Germany pursue tactics against Azerbaijan and
German ambassador to Azerbaijan is among them.

Speaker Asadov said that AZN 1500 for one square meter was given
to the owners of houses which were removed and this amount allows
building or repairing a new house.

YAP’s deputy executive secretary Siyavush Novruzov said that the
matter is not Germany: “German ambassador said that he couldn’t
remain indifferent to the removal of houses in Baku. How can he be
indifferent to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, refugees and
internally displaced persons?”

Novruzov said that there is an Islamphobia in Germany and he brought
photos to the parliament in proof of it and demonstrated photos:
“They put a sign of ban on the mosques. Let them come and learn
tolerance in Azerbaijan”.

YAP’s deputy executive secretary Mubariz Gurbanli condemned the German
ambassador to Azerbaijan for his interference in internal affairs
of the country and said that it is contrary to the international
conventions.

POLITICIAN: MOST OF ARMENIAN POLITICIANS ARE USED TO TAKE THE REGIME’S DECISIONS FOR GRANTED

arminfo
Wednesday, May 2, 18:30

Most of the Armenian politicians grew up in the Soviet times and
are used to take the regime’s decisions for granted, unlike Raffi
Hovhannisian who grew up in the United States, a country of the law,
says Arman Mushegyan, the head of the World Without Obstacles NGO,
who is the 10th on the party ticket of Heritage, the party led by
Hovhannisian.

He says that Heritage is the only party where inter-personal relations
are not a priority.

Being a disabled person Mushegyan says that he supports the party
because Heritage was the only force to speak up for disabled people
in the Parliament.

Mushegyan says that the rights of disabled people are strongly violated
in Armenia even though the country is signatory to the Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. “We must change the whole
system and the very approach to this problem and must punish all those
who charge money from disable people for medical services and refuse
to employ them,” Mushegyan said.

He believes that Heritage has high chances at the May 6 parliamentary
elections and will get much more seats in the next parliament than
it has in the current one.