ARAM SARGSYAN NOT INVITED TO YKM SESSION
08:15 pm | Today | Politics
Aram Sargsyan, Chairman of the Republic (Hanrapetutyun) Party and
brother of Sparapet Vazgen Sargsyan, was not invited to the Saturday
session of the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union (YKM).
“It was the first time the YKM had not invited me to its meeting. But
I am not offended,” said Mr Sargsyan.
From: Baghdasarian
KAREL DE GUCHT: OPENING OF FREE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS MARK TURNING POINT IN OUR TRADE RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA
Panorama.am
20/02/2012
The EU decided to launch negotiations on a deep and comprehensive
free trade area with Armenia in order to boost economic growth and
investment with this Eastern European Partner, according to the
European Commission press release.
The negotiations will not only tackle market access conditions but
also focus on regulatory approximation, which will help to achieve
a closer economic integration of Armenia with the EU, the European
Commission said.
“The opening of free trade negotiations mark a turning point in our
trade relations with Armenia. We are entering a new phase that will
bring our economic ties to a new level of depth and ambition,” said
EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht. “The EU is Armenia’s first
trading partner and a deep and comprehensive free trade area will
give Armenia a more favorable access to the European Single Market
thereby helping to boost economic growth in the country.”
“This is a further sign of the strengthening of our political and
economic ties. Launching DCFTA negotiations is one more step towards
closer economic integration which is one of the cornerstones of our
relations with countries of Eastern Partnership,” said Commissioner
for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy tefan Fule.
From: Baghdasarian
MOSCOW, PARIS MAY LAUNCH GAS PIPELINE PROJECT
PanARMENIAN.Net
February 20, 2012 – 18:57 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – Moscow and Paris may launch a project to build
new gas pipelines from Russia to Europe to meet the growing demand
by EU states, Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom said on Monday,
February 20, according to RIA Novosti.
“The parties have come to agreement that it is necessary to build
new direct gas transport capacities from Russia to Europe to meet
the growing demand of European consumers in Russian natural gas,”
Gazprom said in a statement.
Faced with severe weather conditions, some EU states complained in
late January and early February that they were receiving less gas from
Russia than expected, however, Gazprom, which supplies a quarter of
Europe’s gas imports, said it was delivering as much gas as it could
under current contracts.
The two parties prevented a crisis in gas supplies and blue fuel
deliveries returned to contract volumes after a week or two.
In 2011, France, the third largest consumer of Russian gas in Europe,
received 9.53 billion cubic meters from Gazprom under a core contract
and up to 1.5 bcm through Nord Stream pipeline under an additional
contract.
From: Baghdasarian
GREEK PATRIARCH URGES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR TURKEY’S MINORITIES
PanARMENIAN.Net
February 20, 2012 – 17:51 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I said the
new Turkish constitution should grant greater religious freedom to
the country’s minorities after he paid a landmark visit to a Turkish
parliamentary commission working on the new document.
On Monday, Feb 20, Patriarch Bartholomew I met with members of a
parliamentary subcommittee seeking an all-party consensus for a new
constitution, which will replace the one ratified in 1982 while the
country was under military rule.
Bartholomew told reporters after speaking to the commission that
he favors a constitution that promotes equal rights and religious
freedoms, including the reopening of a Greek Orthodox seminary that
has trained generations of patriarchs.
“We do not want to be second-class citizens. Unfortunately, minorities
have faced many injustices so far. These are gradually being corrected,
changed. A new Turkey is emerging. We never lost hope. We are now very
happy. We are sure that our ideas will be taken into consideration
as we want nothing more than our rights as Turkish citizens,” he said.
The Greek patriarch added that he attaches much importance to an
invitation from Turkish Parliament for him to meet with Constitutional
Commission members, noting that they want the new constitution to be
the constitution of all in Turkey, Today’s Zaman reported.
From: Baghdasarian
TURKEY MORTIFIED OVER DUTCH FOOTAGE OF TRABZON (VIDEO)
PanARMENIAN.Net
February 20, 2012 – 16:14 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – Turkey is outraged over a video of Trabzon shot by
the official TV of Netherlands for PSV Eindhoven local football club
on the threshold of European League clash vs. Tabzonspor.
The 1-minute footage describes the everyday life of Trabzon, yet,
according to Turkish media, “succeeds in vilifying the city through
a collection of utterly negative shots.”
However, the video of a man, relieving himself into the sea stirred
the most outrage in the Turkish society. However, according to Aze.az
Azeri source, the man was portrayed as one of the symbols of Trabzon.
From: Baghdasarian
BORDYUZHA: ARMENIA LIKE A FULLY-FLEDGED MEMBER OF CSTO HAS A RIGHT TO RELY ON ALL AROUND HELP IN CRISIS SITUATIONS
arminfo
Tuesday, February 21, 14:40
Armenia like a fully-fledged member of CSTO has a right to rely on
all around help in crisis situations, CSTO Secretary General Nikolay
Bordyuzha said at today’s Yerevan-Moscow televised bridge.
“Armenia is CSTO member with all its rights and duties. It means that
contributing in the activity of the structure, in providing stability
and security, at the same time it should rely on similar help from the
side of the CSTO member-states. At the same time, in case of rising
of the crisis situation linked with the Karabakh conflict, here the
reaction of the CSTO depends on the specific situation. One should take
into consideration that the nature and format of similar situations
differ. For this reason, one cannot predict”, – Bordyuzha said.
He also added that CSTO has not been involved in the Karabakh
conflict settlement process. However, this fact does not hinder this
organization to actively watch development of events and hold permanent
monitoring of the situation. He said that the OSCE MG format has been
effectively acting for settlement of the conflict. “We think that the
OSCE MG has been implementing its functions well and involvement of
any other structure in the settlement process will just damage it”,
– he concluded.
From: Baghdasarian
ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYER BECAME THE CHAMPION OF FERDOWSI OPEN
21.02.12, 15:06
Ferdowsi Open chess championship is over at Iranian Mashhad city. As
armsport.am informs Arman Pashikyan, Armenian Champion on 2009, played
in drawn with black figures against Russian chess player Alexander
Fomenikh and got nine points. This gave the title of the champion to
the Armenian chess player.
Arman Pashikyan won 7 matches from 11 and 4 of them he ended in drawn.
Another Armenian representative, Levon Babujyan, got 8 points and
appeared in top ten.
From: Baghdasarian
ARMENIAN OFFICER, KILLED BY AZERBAIJANI MILITARY MEMBER, IS REMEMBERED IN BUDAPEST
news.am
February 21, 2012 | 12:35
A public rally commemorating the eight anniversary of the Armenian
officer Gurgen Margaryan’s killing by the Azerbaijani military member,
Ramil Safarov, was held on February 19 near the Armenian cross-stone
placed in downtown Budapest.
The event was organized by the Armenian community of Hungary, and
advisor Arthur Musheghyan of Armenia’s Embassy in Vienna was also
in attendance.
During the rally, the Hungarian Armenians strongly condemned this
brutal murder yet again, and they noted that this is a result of the
ongoing policy of militarism and nationalism in Azerbaijan.
Wreathes were laid before the cross-stone on behalf of Armenia’s
embassy and the Armenian community.
The event was covered by Hungarian media.
From: Baghdasarian
LE MOUVEMENT SARDARAPAT VEUT INVITER LES GENS A RENVERSER LE POUVOIR ILLEGITIME
Stephane
armenews.com
mardi 21 fevrier 2012
Le mouvement Sardarapat veut mettre fin a la politique existante
actuellement en Armenie en renversant le regime present. ” Nous avons
forme un groupe de gens sous la direction desquels l’Armenie avancera
finalement ” a declare Jirayr Sefilyan membre de Sardarapat et heros
de guerre au Karabagh.
Il a aussi dit qu’il est necessaire de former un nouveau champ de
politique où de nouvelles règles seront mises en application et qui ne
sera pas contrôle par les autorites. ” La difference entre “Sardarapat”
et, par exemple, nos frères arabes, est que nous n’appellerons pas les
gens dans les rues a renverser le pouvoir et decider ensuite que faire
“.
” Il est beaucoup plus important de savoir ce qui doit etre change. Et
quand les gens comprennent les perspectives futures, ils comprendront
aussi qu’il est digne de commencer le combat pour l’amour d’un avenir
pense ” a-t-il dit.
Il a aussi ajoute que pendant les prochaines elections “Sardarapat”
va se battre pas non pas contre la reproduction du regime en exercice
en Armenie mais pour sa pleine destruction. ” Nous allons former
une puissante alternative de jeunes gens serieux, dessinantun
programme strict. Et quand Cette partie du travail sera finie, la
mobilisation des gens sera la dernière etape. Nous n’allons pas tenir
des rassemblements durables. Nous sommes sûrs que la volonte des gens
est tout a fait suffisante pour changer le pouvoir en Armenie. De
toute facon, nous n’allons pas faire appel aux Forces internationales
” a conclu M.Sefilyan.
From: Baghdasarian
LES ELECTIONS DU MAIRE DE HRAZDAN LARGEMENT COMMENTEES PAR LA PRESSE
Stephane
armenews.com
mardi 21 fevrier 2012
Etant donne que ce scrutin avait valeur de test a l’approche des
elections de mai, la presse suit avec attention les reactions du
parti Republicain comme du CNA, dont les candidats avaient brigue
la mairie de cette ville. L’ancien ” prisonnier politique “, Sassoun
Mikayelian, soutenu par le CNA, a refuse de reconnaître sa defaite,
accusant son adversaire d’avoir remporte le scrutin en achetant
massivement les electeurs, mais aussi en falsifiant le taux de
participation. Il refuse toutefois de contester les resultats du
scrutin, estimant cette mesure ” sans effet “. Le maire sortant
de Hrazdan a ecarte les allegations de fraudes, les mettant sur le
compte d’une propagande diffamatoire. Il a souligne que le scrutin
s’etait deroule dans un souci de justice et de liberte que le pouvoir
s’engage a faire respecter pour le scrutin legislatif a venir. D’après
les observateurs locaux, le scrutin de Hrazdan s’est deroule sans
incident et sans bourrages d’urnes, ni violations notables de la
legislation electorale. Les quotidiens font etat de quelques incidents
comme coupures d’electricite dans trois bureaux de vote alors qu’on
y commencait le decompte des bulletins… Aravot relève qu’a Hrazdan
les autorites ont devoile le modèle [de trucage d’elections] qu’elles
vont mettre en place en mai prochain : il s’agit de la distribution
massive de pots-de-vin, qui, bien que pratiquee depuis 1995, devient
de plus en plus impressionnante par son ampleur. 168 Jam partage cet
avis et relève que ” les autorites ont tellement perfectionne les
technologies de fraude, qu’elles n’ont plus besoin de recourir aux
technologies classiques “, a savoir bourrage d’urnes, votes multiples
etc. Tout se fait avant que l’electeur se rende aux urnes, par le
biais de la ressource administrative et des pots-de-vin “.
Hraparak, qui est egalement de ce meme avis enumère les conclusions
tirees des elections de Hrazdan :
1. un tel mecanisme electoral serait constitue en Armenie qui permet
aux autorites de faire elire leur candidat sans recourir a des fraudes
sensibles ;
2. les pots-de-vin feraient partie de la ” culture electorale
armenienne ” encore très longtemps ;
3. le peuple armenien serait si desespere qu’il prefererait recevoir,
plutôt l’argent que de voter en faveur d’un heros de la guerre du HK.
Enfin, les quotidiens rappellent que des elections de maire ont eu
lieu, le 12 fevrier, dans 39 communes a travers l’Armenie. Dans 31,
ce sont les candidats du parti Republicain qui l’ont emporte, dans
deux communes, des candidats du parti ” Armenie prospère ” et dans six,
des candidats sans affiliation politique.
Ambassade de France en Armenie
From: Baghdasarian