Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

AZERBAIJANI MILITARY COMMAND HIRES CRIMINALS WELL ACQUAINTED WITH REGION – SEYRAN OHANYAN

17:55 * 15.07.14

Azerbaijan committed acts of sabotage, and the Azerbaijani military
command has hired criminal groups that are well acquainted with the
region, Armenia’s Minister of Defense Seyran told reporters on Tuesday.

The Nagorno-Karabakh law-enforcement agencies launched an investigation
for the criminals to be held responsible in conformity with the local
and international law.

“Azerbaijan has always been active and created tension on the
front line, seeking to influence the structures dealing with the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem. Azerbaijan does not realize that the people
of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh do not want to come under pressure
again. They once forced us into war and the Arstakh people gained
victory. And now they are trying to influence the negotiations by
creating tension, with the purpose of getting unilateral advantages. I
have repeatedly stated that a dialogue and mutual confidence is the
only way to a peaceful political settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem,” Minister Ohanyan said.

He regrets the fact that some individuals, even companions-in-arms,
are critical of how border protection is organized.

“We must praise our soldiers, who could find and neutralize [the
raiding party].”

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Baghdasarian

KARABAKH ARMY STARTS OFFENSIVE

Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 15 July 2014, 15:12

The NKR Military Council held a meeting in Stepanakert and discussed
possible regional and geopolitical developments and future plans in
this context.

Perhaps this is the first time the Defense Army of Artsakh announced
about its plans to take part in regional and global processes. Earlier
the Karabakh army was limited to the defense of the NKR territory,
announcing that it does not pose any threat to the security of those
who will not encroach upon the security of Artsakh.

What was discussed in the Military Council is a military secret. One
thing is obvious – at last the Karabakh army feels it is an important
geopolitical factor, feels its own power and level of independence
which is higher than ever.

In many countries the armies, especially in the countries which are
in vulnerable geopolitical conditions often assume responsibility for
the existence of the state. Since the beginning of the war in Karabakh
the martial law has been extended every year, and it is still valid,
and the army plays a special role in this.

Geopolitical and regional developments are changing very fast,
and an appropriate response is needed. So far the status quo has
enabled the army of Artsakh to deal with “passive” defense issues,
now the situation has changed.

Challenges are many: Azerbaijan is boosting its military potential
and is not hiding revanchist intentions, Russia is trying to deploy
troops in Karabakh, the American ambassador is constantly speaking
about the inevitability to return seven territories. Being closely tied
to Russia, Armenia cannot take any initiative, leaving everything up
to Karabakh. And it takes an effort to make an independent decision
in accordance with the issues and situation.

Karabakh has not succeeded establishing diplomatic relations over the
years of independence. Lack of international recognition is combined
with the lack of wish of the leaders of Armenia and Karabakh. As
a result the Karabakh army has become not only a military but also
a foreign political factor, not only for Karabakh but also entire
Armenia.

Today the Karabakh army completed the action of neutralization of the
Azerbaijani commando, and the Ministry of Defense announced that the
captured member of the commando will not be returned to Azerbaijan
and will be tried in accordance with the Criminal Code. The tough
response of the army is evidence to its awareness of its role in the
region and what it is capable of in case decisions are made here and
not descend from Moscow.

– See more at:

From: Baghdasarian

SELON UN EXPERT L’ADHESION DE L’ARMENIE A UEE NE SE FERA PAS AVANT JANVIER

ARMENIE

Stepan Safaryan, analyste politique, fondateur et president de
l’Institut armenien des affaires internationales et de securite a
dit que l’Armenie a un certain nombre de problèmes avec les membres
de l’Union economique eurasienne (UEE) et qu’elle ne rejoindra pas
le bloc avant Janvier.

Selon Stepan Safaryan, un certain nombre de facteurs ont contribue a
la decision de l’Armenie de se joindre a l’Union douanière d’abord,
puis l’UEE. Ces facteurs sont en train de devenir des obstacles
particuliers.

>
a dit Stepan Safaryan mentionnant qu’il y a trop de raisons pour
retarder l’adhesion.
From: Baghdasarian

PERU’S JONATHAN MAICELO DEFEATS ARMENIAN ART HOVHANNISYAN

Andina – Agencia Peruana de Noticias, Peru
July 12 2014

Lima, jul. 12. Peruvian fighter Jonathan “La Cobra” Maicelo Jonathan
Maicelo (21-1, 12 KOs) defeated Armenian Art Hovhannisyan (17-2-2,
9 KOs) via split decision in a 10-round lightweight bout at the Little
Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Wash. on Friday night.

Maicelo,30, and Hovhannisyan,32, went the distance in an exciting
action packed bout. Both fighters had their moments, but it was
Maicelo who took control of the fight from the start.

Maicelo used his superior boxing skills to outwork Hovahannisyan,
landing the cleaner shots throughout the bout. Every time Hovahannisyan
looked to take control, Maicelo would come back with some hard shots
to halt his momentum.

When it was all said and done, Maicelo won a split decision to capture
the WBC International Silver Title.

The judges scored the fight 100-90, 97-93 for Maicelo and 96-94 for
Hovhannisyan.

“I trained really hard for this fight and my conditioning made a
positive difference,” said Maicelo. “I knew Hovhannisyan was going
to be tough and he brought the fight to me. My timing was on tonight
and I was landing some clean shots. I’m looking forward to what Gary
Shaw has planned for me in the future.”

The bout was broadcast on ESPN2 as part of its “Friday Night Fights”
series, promoted by Gary Shaw productions.

From: Baghdasarian

JINISHIAN MEMORIAL PROGRAM PRAISES PC(USA) ACTION COMMEMORATING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

States News Service
July 11, 2014 Friday

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky

The following information was released by the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.):

Jinishian Memorial Program

Cara Taylor

On June 20, in Detroit, Michigan, the Presbyterian Church (USA)
voted to recognize the Armenian Genocide, urging congregations to
commemorate its centennial in 2015, and directing church leadership
to call upon the United States President and Congress to condemn the
acts as genocide as well.

>From 1915-1923 when the Ottoman Empire massacred 1.5 million Armenians
and expelled one million more from their historic homeland (now
Turkey), the Presbyterian Church directed relief funds to Armenians
throughout those years, and its General Assemblies vehemently protested
the atrocities.

Over the last 50 years, Presbyterian support to struggling Armenian
communities has come through the Jinishian Memorial Program (JMP)
which operates relief, development and spiritual missions through
inter-church partnerships in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Jerusalem,
and Armenia.

This historic resolutionthe first of its kind for a major American
church bodywas adopted by the 1.8- million-member church in response
to overtures from three of its regional presbyteries: Chicago, Los
Ranchos (southern California), and Palisades (New Jersey). Rev. Dr.

Christine Chakoian, Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Lake
Forest, IL, and Rev. Dr. Vartkes Kassouni, a retired pastor in Southern
California currently serving as Parish Associate in Tustin Presbyterian
Church, were the overture advocates. Also lending his testimony as
an ecumenical partner was the Rev. Fr. Garabed Kochakian, Pastor of
St. Johns Armenian Church, Southfield, MI. Jinishian Memorial Program
leadership played a key role in initiating and supporting the process.

JMP director Eliza Minasyan says the JMP global team feels encouraged
by the acknowledgement this action brings to the communities served
by the Jinishian program: Especially for our colleagues in Syria
right nowthese are genocide survivors of great faith and courage who
are helping children and the sick and displaced in a time of great
dangerthis brings them hope that they are not abandoned.

In summary, this resolution takes four key actions:

First, urges member congregations to recognize the Armenian genocide;
to express deep sympathy to the Armenian people and designate April
24 every year as the day of remembrance; and to honor the provisions
of American and international law to prevent recurrence of such crimes.

Second, supports the designation of genocide for the death of 1.5
million Armenians and the expulsion of one million more from the
Ottoman Empire in the years 1915-1923.

Third, directs the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly to call
on the President and the Congress of the United States of America
to recognize and condemn the death and expulsion of the Armenians;
to communicate this resolution to our ecumenical partners nationally
and internationally.

Fourth, encourage official observance of the 100th Anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide in worship services on Sunday, April 26, 2015
in all PC(USA) churches.

Minasyan recalls: As JMP planned to commemorate the genocides 100th
anniversary, we recognized an opportunity for the PC(USA) to officially
designate this systematic elimination of a people as genocide.

Kassouni pointed out in Detroit that the term genocide was not coined
until 1947, in part as a response to the Armenian experience, which
represented the first genocide of the 20th century. He feels that
this recognition helps bring healing for surviving generations of
Armenians and makes a way for reconciliation.

Chakoian emphasized that they are calling congregations across the
country to testify to this tragedy and to help ensure that no other
peoples experience such suffering.

Kassouni, Chakoian, and Kochakian all spoke before the Peacemaking and
International Relations Committee, the body of clergy and laypeople
responsible for debating and voting on whether to recommend this
action for final adoption by the full body of 565 delegates. During
committee deliberations, many Presbyterians of all backgrounds spoke
up with great sensitivity and determination to stand for justice on
behalf of the Armenian peoplethe overture passed unanimously.

This was a rare occasion when three Armenian clergy (two Protestant
and one Apostolic), stood together in strong cooperative witness and
support on behalf of Armenian people, Kassouni reported. Its a great
tribute to the cooperative, consistent, intelligent, and dedicated
effort on behalf of our Armenian people, past and present.

Chakoian recalled how her own family experienced the decimation of the
genocide, and helped the committee understand Armenias story: Armenia
was the first Christian country: the first to embrace Christianity,
even before the Roman Empire. Our eight-sided churches testify to
our baptism and the promise of the resurrection. In the mid-19th
century, American missionaries came to Turkey; my family was among
those whom the missionaries touched. Since then, education has been
a priorityincluding education for women and girls, far ahead of its
time. When I was eight years old, my grandmother told me the story of
how her beloved uncles were forced to kneel and were shot in the back
of the head. This overture urges us to remember the genocide. But it
does more than that. It also testifies to the truth that hope does
not die. This overture witnesses to the Christians who are persecuted
in the region today that they are not forgotten.

From: Baghdasarian

RED CROSS CHECKS REPORTS ABOUT AZERI MAN CAPTURED BY ARMENIAN TROOPS

Interfax, Russia
July 11 2014

BAKU. July 11

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has no information
yet about the capturing of an Azeri man by Armenians.

“At this moment, we have no information on the matter. We are
clarifying it with relevant agencies,” spokeswoman for the ICRC Azeri
office Ilakha Guseinova told Interfax on Friday.

Earlier several Armenian media outlets reported that Shakhbaz Guliev,
born 1968, who was a member of an intelligence subversive group,
was captured near the contact line between the Azeri and Armenian
armed forces.

Meanwhile, the Azeri Defense Ministry has stated that Guliev has
nothing to do with the Azeri Armed Forces.

From: Baghdasarian

RUSSIAN, ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTERS CONFERRING ON INTEGRATION, BILATERAL RELATIONS

Interfax, Russia
July 11 2014

SOCHI. July 11

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and his Armenian counterpart
Hovik Abrahamyan are discussing integration processes and bilateral
trade in Sochi.

“Our countries are very close allies, our countries are close and
our people are very close, too,” Medvedev said in his opening remarks.

The negotiations provide “an opportunity to discuss a wide spectrum
of issues in Russia-Armenia relations, from integration processes to
bilateral contacts, trade, investment and humanitarian cooperation,”
he said.

The Armenian prime minister said he “wished to discuss a number of
matters important for the Armenian side.”

From: Baghdasarian

DOES SERZH SARGSYAN HAVE THE COURAGE TO TELL DIRECTLY TO PUTIN THAT ARMENIAN PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED?

July 12 2014

In his interview to Argentine La Nacion newspaper, referring to
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the President Serzh Sargsyan, on his
official visit to Argentina, has said that the Armenian the people are
very concerned that Armenia’s strategic ally, Russia, sells weapons
to Azerbaijan. To the question of Aravot.am whether you can tell that
Serzh Sargsyan rebukes Putin in the 3rd country for selling weapons
to Azerbaijan, the political scientist Yervand Bozoyan responded,
“Given that this concern exists in the society, it was very illogical
that this concern was not presented at the state level. When your
strategic ally sells that much arms and ammunition to your opponent,
and let’s recall that according to the agreement, Russia has pledged
to provide Azerbaijan with more than 700 million dollars in arms and
military equipment, and it has another more than 4 billion dollars
agreement to establish a military-industrial complex in Azerbaijan. It
is clear that there was a dead silence by the state instances, and
Serzh Sargsyan could not but respond. He had to respond.” To our
question of whether in his opinion, Serzh Sargsyan has the courage
to say directly to Putin about Armenian people’s concern, Yervand
Bozoyan replied, “If Serzh Sargsyan honestly considers that he is
correct, he can directly say to Putin. But, since he understands that
his fault is also there, Putin may reverse. He will say, hey, boy,
for 2 years we were telling you to stop humiliating us in front of
the West, you were taking us by the path of humiliation, we were
explaining, but you were not perceiving the situation. Since he
knows that he would get this answer, he will never say it.” To the
question of whether this statement may have a negative impact on the
relations between him and Vladimir Putin, Yervand Bozoyan replied,
“If we move on by the logic that Putin may get offended, then there
should be no response at all from Armenia to Russia. Countries build
their relationships not based on the fact that Putin may get offended
or not. And won’t Armenians get offended that Putin sells that such
weapon to Azerbaijan? This is not a category to get offended. This
is a category of politics, which shows that Armenia’s foreign policy
just does not know what to do when it loses its allies in the West,
it does not also have confidence in its strategic ally.”

To our question of whether Putin will respond to Serzh Sargsyan’s this
“rebuke” or will ignore, Yervand Bozoyan replied, “Putin is still
surprised why until not there has been no such respond in Armenia’s
official position. It is almost like when you have a brother in the
family and a strategic enemy, and the enemy comes and constantly
enters into business with your own brother, you feel that you are
facing danger, but you say nothing to your own brother, your family
member. It would be an abnormality in everyday life, wouldn’t it?

Whereas, everyday life and international relations are alike. In this
event, it is illogical that there was no response from Armenia. And
this is in the case when Russia has signed these agreements with
Azerbaijan in 2013, August. Since August until now, almost one
year, there was no response made. And, let’s recall the past, when
Azerbaijan was getting only a few secondary class arms and ammunition,
what tough reactions were heard from the Foreign Ministry of Armenia.

But now, not only ordinary tanks but rocket complexes are sold, which
is very dangerous for us. It is basically an offensive weapon, which
is a serious threat to us.” To our observation that the Republican
party MPs are always mitigating the issue saying that Russia also
sells weapons to us, so what, Yervand Bozoyan replied, “Russia has
always sold weapons to Azerbaijan; to Armenia – on preferential
conditions, to Azerbaijan – at market prices. But he has never sold
offensive weapons, especially rocket complexes, which is localized
to the peculiarities of our region. Armenia’s political elite and the
government should be concerned about this. Serzh Sargsyan’s response
is late. The Armenian community should ask, why such a situation has
been created? What is changed that Russia dramatically changed its
relations with Azerbaijan? If I explain this only by the business
interest, it would be just insane. There is a deep suspicion of
Armenia in Russia, for the last 2-3 years, Armenia was leading a
policy that was irritating Moscow. The RA authorities and pro-Western
circles were proud that Armenia is a few steps ahead of Azerbaijan
with regard to the moves to EU Association Agreement. As a result,
Russia obtained non-confidence in Armenia. First of all, it raised
the gas price in secret negotiations, accumulated 300 million debt,
plus, it was getting ready for the 4-billion-dollar contract. All are
guilty, the mass media and the editors, who were praising the process
of signing the EU Association Agreement. Serzh Sargsyan is not the only
one to blame; he will not become a scapegoat. A person like Shavarsh
Kocharyan was saying it a business transaction, trying to oppose Moscow
that if they are doing business, we also have the right to do so. Well,
let them go and assess Shavarsh Kocharyan and the pro-Western circles,
who were leading this line. With their estimates, they cased a great
damage on Armenia. Let them do not behave coward and say that only
Serzh Sargsyan is to blame. As a result, our enemy has strategic
rockets, the equivalent of which, at the moment, we do not have.”

Hripsime JEBEJYAN

Read more at:

From: Baghdasarian

FRENCH AMBASSADOR DISMISSES REPORTS ABOUT WEAPONS SUPPLIES TO AZERBAIJAN

July 11, 2014 | 15:16

YEREVAN. – French Ambassador to Armenia Henri Reynaud has no
information about his country’s intention to sell weapons to Azerbaijan
or any other regional state, because it is untrue.

Ambassador Reynaud commented on the Azerbaijani media reports about
France’s readiness to sell air-defense system.

Earlier haqqin.az portal quoting French portal “Intelligence Online”
said France plans to sell mid-range air defense system. According to
the reports, the sale was lobbied during Francois Hollande’s visit
to Azerbaijan in May.

French diplomat dismissed the reports, saying the sale of weapons by
France cannot happen.

“As a country that is an OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing state and is
engaged in mission of bringing peace between conflicting parties,
France could not but respect all provisions of the UN and OSCE. France
strictly dismisses the idea of selling weapons to any country that
is in engaged in a conflict,” he told reporters.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN PM RECEIVES PARENTS OF DEAD SOLDIERS

16:28 | July 12,2014 | Social

Armenia’s Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan received on July 12 the
parents of soldiers who died during peacetime. The group included
Gohar Sargsyan, Anahit Lazarian, Nana Muradyan, Irina Ghazaryan,
Heriknaz Gasparyan and Hovsep Muradyan.

The head of the Armenian government talked to each parent, heard their
concerns and objections regarding the circumstances of the death of
their sons.

The premier promised the parents to render the necessary assistance,
within his powers, to clarify the details of the tragic incidents.

From: Baghdasarian