Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

STEPANAKERT TO HAVE PERMANENT WATER SUPPLY IN 2014

April 16, 2013 – 21:42 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Capital of Nagorno Karabakh Republic Stepanakert
will have permanent water supply in about one year, NKR Minister of
Industrial Infrastructures said.

Levon Mnatsakanyan said that the actual price of the water was higher
than the current price, in consideration of the work carried out in
the direction. According to the minister, water would cost AMD 400,
if all the costs were taken into account, karabakh-open.info reported.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN EX-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RAFFI HOVANNISIAN’S CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS PROVIDES ‘BRIEF ACCOUNTING’

20:21 ~U 16.04.13

One week has passed since the April 9 inauguration of a New Armenia.

Other political forces-and the media and analysts retained by them-have
had ample opportunity to circulate their own version of events, often
relying on misinformation and downright lies. We shall not compete
with them. We do feel, however, that we must give a brief accounting
to our people.

This is what happened on April 9, 2013.

At 12pm, as Serzh Sargsyan takes a false oath on the Bible in
the company of an elite entourage, Raffi K. Hovannisian presides
over a massive assembly of citizens at Liberty Square. more than
60,000 Armenians raise their right hand for the inauguration of a
New Armenia. They dissolve their bonds with the illegally elected
authorities and vow to struggle peacefully for democracy.

Raffi Hovannisian announces that a concert will soon begin and asks
that the Armenians reconvene at 6pm for a march through the streets
of their capital. He descends into the crowd, where he is met with
the voice of the people, which says: “Let us march now.” Within five
minutes Hovannisian is at the podium again to announce that he will
listen to the voice of the people-he will walk with them now.

Hovannisian leads the Armenians down to Republic Square and then to
the statue of Miasnikyan-the setting of the tragedies of March 1,
2008, where he lays flowers and vows “Never again”-and then up to St.

Hovhannes Church, where he lights a candle, and then on Proshyan
Street toward Baghramyan Boulevard.

The people are stopped at the intersection of Proshyan and
Demirchyan-just on the other side of the walls of the presidential
dacha-by a police barricade reinforced by special units. After
refusing to grant access to Proshyan or Demirchyan streets, the
police eventually retract, giving passage to Hovannisian and his
followers on Demirchyan and down beside the Tumanyan House Museum
(“Aprek erekhek bayts mez pes chaprek”) and to Liberty Square.

There the concert is already finished, and Raffi Hovannisian announces
to the crowd that he will return at 6pm for the previously announced
march. Hovannisian leaves Liberty Square to organize his MPs to follow
reports of arrests and visit detained protestors in several police
precincts and to demand their release.

At 6pm a huge crowd has gathered again at Liberty Square. Raffi
Hovannisian announces publically that he will march up Baghramyan
Boulevard, pass the presidential office at Baghramyan 26, and lead
his people to Tsitsernakaberd to light candles for the 1.5 million
who were murdered in 1915 and the 1.5 million who have since 1991
chosen to leave their country but who must and will return.

Hovannisian marches out of Liberty Square and toward Mashtots
Boulevard, where a police barricade has been set. Calling the
barricade unconstitutional, Hovannisian is the first to break
through the barricade. He leads the people onto the street. They
march up Mashtots and veer left on Baghramyan and proceed beyond the
intersection of Baghramyan and Saryan, where another police barricade
is set, but this one more strongly enforced by various special units.

After demanding that the Armenian people’s right to walk peacefully
be restored, and being refused again and again, Hovannisian begins
to walk into the barricade. He is on the frontline, alongside his
wife and son, his team, and supporters.

The police begin to push back the citizens, often using excessive
force. Several policemen beat Armen Martirosyan and smash his nose.

Arrests are made. Hovannisian is thrown to the ground. But he
continues on his knees to push through the barricade. His wife is
smashed between police shields and is cast to the ground. Her knees
are torn and bloody. She and her husband and son are stampeded by the
police, who continue to push and beat the Armenians. Hovannisian gets
up from the ground, defiant. He walks for the barricades again.

The chief of police now appears, and Raffi reaffirms his demand to him
and the generals gathered there. He pushes into them again. By this
time more special units have been brought. People continue to be beaten
and arrested. Seeing the violence around him, and the disintegrating
chaos (professional, government-sent provocateurs are everywhere,
untouched by the police), Hovannisian decides to lead his people to
Tsitsernakaberd using another route-through Saryan.

Hovannisian turns his back on the police and walks through the thick
crowd and toward Saryan with his bloody and bare-footed wife and son
and supporters. The chief of police and many of the police and much
of the crowd follow him.

At this time there is an organized campaign of misinformation.

Government men whisper that Raffi is now negotiating with the chief
of police and that he will be back soon. For this reason, thousands
of people, including many among Hovannisian’s team-Zaruhi Postanjyan,
Styopa Safaryan, Hovsep Khurshudyan, Tevan Poghosyan, David Sanasaryan,
and others-stay behind. They, too, assume that Raffi will be back. They
stand between the people and the police.

But the fact is that Hovannisian is walking to Tsitsernakaberd,
with thousands of people behind him. Almost at Tsitsernakaberd, as
he demands from the chief of police that all arrested protestors be
released, Hovannisian learns that thousands of people are still at
Baghramyan, and are defying police orders to move out of the street.

Individual activists are making speeches, and Hovannisian tells
Postanjyan to tell the people that he will come back to handle the
situation.

Immediately after lighting candles and praying with fellow citizens
at Tsitsernakaberd, Raffi urgently returns to Baghramyan to lead his
people. He rushes to the front lines again and faces the barricade
again, demanding that the right of passage be allowed. This is the
third time on April 9 that Hovannisian and his supporters have demanded
to walk on Baghramyan, and Hovannisian asserts to the chief of police
and generals and citizens that he will not move out of the way and
he will not tell his people to go home. The road must be opened;
the citizens shall walk.

Hovannisian stands firmly with his people until eventually the
police retract their previous statements that it is impossible to
walk on Baghramyan that day, and allows Hovannisian to lead his march
up Baghramyan.

In front of the presidential palace, the Armenians stand to sing
“Mer Hayrenik” together. Then they proceed peacefully to Proshyan,
walking the exact reverse of the route they had wanted to walk earlier
in the day. They make a left at Demirchyan, right on Baghramyan,
and return to Liberty Square. There Raffi announces to the Armenian
people that the struggle will continue until victory.

ANALYSYS

Despite Hovannisian’s best efforts blood was spilled on the streets
of Yerevan. But it was his own blood, his wife’s blood, Armen
Martirosyan’s blood, and the blood of his closest supporters. And he
did everything to prevent any violence of a larger-scale. And he was
always on the frontlines-a true leader of his people.

Several times that day the police bowed to the people’s will-they said
they would not allow citizens to walk on Demirchyan around 2:30pm,
then they did allow; they said citizens would not be allowed on
Baghramyan at 10pm, then they did allow-and, at the end of the day,
all protestors were released from police precincts.

On April 9, 2013, Raffi Hovannisian revealed his faith and dedication
to our struggle. He was, on the one side, a true president of the
people-administering the oath of unity and declaring the principles of
a struggle that is based on peace, but at the same time a principled
rejection of false authority. And he proved himself to be a warrior:
willing to struggle, to be on the frontlines, to stand always-in body
and spirit-as the leader of the people.

Raffi Hovannisian Headquarters 16 April 2013 Yerevan

From: Baghdasarian

NEW CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST FORMER ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

April 16, 2013 | 17:37

YEREVAN. – New charges were brought against Armenia’s former
presidential contender, non-party affiliate Vardan Sedrakyan who is
involved in assassination attempt on former presidential candidate
Paruyr Hayrikyan, the Sirunyan Law Office informed Armenian
News-NEWS.am.

On Tuesday the National Security Service brought charges on Article
34-38-305 of the Armenian criminal code on assassination of a state,
political or public figure.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Armenian capital city
Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash General Jurisdiction Court on March
5 sentenced Vardan Sedrakyan to two months in prison. The National
Security Service had filed a petition to have Sedrakyan incarcerated.

The former presidential candidate is charged with giving the directive
for the failed assassination attempt against fellow ex-presidential
contender, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman,
Paruyr Hayrikyan.

To note, an assassination attempt was made against former presidential
candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr
Hayrikyan, on January 31 at around 11:20pm in downtown Yerevan, in
front of his home. Hayrikyan was shot and hospitalized with a gunshot
wound. He underwent a successful surgery on the morning of February 1,
and a bullet-which was located in the soft tissues of his right elbow
shoulder-was removed.

On February 7, formerly convicted Khachatur Poghosyan, and Samvel
Harutyunyan were detained on suspicion of carrying out an assassination
attempt against Paruyr Hayrikyan. And on February 10, Poghosyan,
46, and Harutyunyan, 40 were arrested. Both have pleaded guilty,
but the motives of the assassination attempt are unclear to this
day. Incidentally, both men had carried out remodeling in Vardan
Sedrakyan’s home.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

RUSSIA TO BASE MISTRAL-CLASS ASSAULT SHIPS IN FAR EAST PORTS

April 16, 2013 – 13:50 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Russia will base its French-made Mistral-class
amphibious assault ships in the Far East ports of Vladivostok and
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky when they enter service, a senior Defense
Ministry official said in an interview, according to RIA Novosti.

Russia signed a 1.2-billion euro deal with a French shipyard in 2011
for two Mistral-class ships, the first of which is due for delivery
in 2014 and the second in 2015.

“There are several options [for their location], but the choice fell
on Vladivostok due to its existing transport infrastructure,” Roman
Filimonov, head of the Defense Ministry’s construction department,
said.

“In future, we should create conditions for a short-term base equipped
for storage replenishing, loading and unloading troops and crew rest
in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky,” Filimonov said.

Other possible bases for the ships are still being considered, he
added. A navy spokesman told RIA Novosti in 2011 one of the ships
could be based with Russia’s Northern Fleet.

Filimonov said the necessary infrastructure for the two ships is due
to be built in the Primorsky Krai by 2015.

He also noted it is more convenient to dock the ships near major
cities to provide housing for the crew and their families. The
Mistral-class is capable of carrying 16 helicopters, four landing
vessels, 70 armored vehicles, and 450 personnel.

Procurement of the Mistral-class ships has been the subject of
considerable controversy within the defense community in Russia. In
January this year, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin criticized the
decision to buy the ships after it was revealed they needed high-grade
fuels and lubricants which were not produced in Russia in order to
operate in cold temperatures.

From: Baghdasarian

“HERITAGE”: TER-PETROSYAN’S SPEECH AT ANC FOUNDING CONGRESS IS MORE A SKIN-GAME THAN A TRUE POLICY

ARMINFO
Tuesday, April 16, 15:45

Except ARF “Dashnaktiutyun”, all the opposition forces give the
impression that they want to topple the power in Armenia, the head of
the Heritage parliamentary faction, Ruben Hakopyan, said at today’s
press-conference.

He said that pretending to be Raffi Hovannisian’s supporters, actually
the opposition forces were acting against “Barev” movement. He also
added that the leader of the ANC party, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, is the
first which made split in the opposition, as those his supporters,
which were supporting the “Barev” movement, were not invited to the
founding congress of his party just for this reason.

He said that the founding congress of ANC voiced an open praise to
Gagik Tsarukyan and rumors about Raffi Hovannisian. Commenting on
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s remarks against Heritage party, Hakobyan said
Armenia’s first president cannot forgive Raffi Hovannisian the April
9 actions with no victims or bloodshed. “Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s speech
is an absolute manifestation of cynicism. Now he is a dissenter in
the ranks of the opposition,” Hakobyan said.

During the ANC congress, Ter-Petrosyan commented on not joining
Heritage Party leader’s movement. “I should have joined to do what?

Should I have joined so I could pray with Police Chief Vladimir
Gasparyan? That was not my childhood dream,” he said. “The 10 victims
of the 1 March 2008 events were not evidently dreaming to die for the
man who left the people at the crucial moment…And if Mr Ter-Petrosyan
cannot forgive Hovannisian for no bloodshed on 9 April, that is his
problem”, – he said.

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJANI MP OFFERING TO CUT AKRAM AYLISLI’S EAR DECIDED TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT

15:51 16/04/2013 ” SOCIETY

After a series of scandals involving the persecution and repression
of civil society and the baiting of the writer Akram Aylisli, the
Azerbaijani authorities demonstrate their regular achievement; Hafiz
Hajiyev will run for president of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani news
agency “Turan” writes.

News notes that Hafiz Hajiyev is the same man who was convicted of
economic crimes and who after his release was started to cooperate
with the authorities of Azerbaijan. “It was him who had promised
to pay 10 thousand manats to the one who cuts off the ear of the
Azerbaijani writer Akram Aylisli” writes the agency.

The article reads, “The efforts of the head of the Presidential
Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev, the founder of the image of modern
Azerbaijan, bring their results… Can we find a more suitable
candidacy for the presidency for Azerbaijan? According to Ramiz
Mehdiyev’s logic – no, we can’t.”

According to “Turan” Hafiz Hajiyev on Tuesday will hold a press
conference speaking about his plans for the construction of the
Azerbaijani state while being the head of it.

Ekrem Eylisli is national writer (since 1998) and Honored Artist
of Azerbaijan, holder of the highest order of Azerbaijan “Istiglal”
(2002) and the order of “Shokhrat” for his outstanding merits in the
literature of Azerbaijan. Recently, on the website of Russian magazine
“Friendship of Nations” was published his novel titled “Stone Dreams”
in which the author describes the massacres of Armenians in Baku
in 1990 and in Nakhichevan in 1919. The author in his novel speaks
positively about the Armenian people and their culture. The novel
“Stone Dreams” also contains criticism over the former Azerbaijani
President Heydar Aliyev and the tyranny of the system created by him.

After publication of the novel, Eylisli was exposed to severe pressures
in Azerbaijan; the pro-governmental youth held rally in front of
his house, his issue was discussed in the parliament of Azerbaijan,
MPs suggested to burn his books and to deprive him of citizenship and
deport from Azerbaijan. Many people “blamed” Eylisli in his Armenian
origin, etc. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev deprived him of
personal pension and the title of National Writer, and accused him of
“purposefully distorting the history of Azerbaijan” and “in distorting
realities about history of Azerbaijan in an inappropriate way.”

The leader of the pro-governmental party “Modern Musavat” Hafis Hajiyev
announced that he would pay about 10 Euros to the one who will cut
the ear of the writer. Only after the intervention of the media,
the politician was “warned” by the Interior Ministry of Azerbaijan
about the illegality of such appeals.

The U.S. Department of State and the OSCE Office in Baku condemned
persecution of Eylisli in Azerbaijan and called on the authorities
to fulfill their obligations.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA AND GEORGIA SHOULD ACTIVELY EXCHANGE INFORMATION

Tuesday,
April 16

Georgia tries to take a neutral position on the Karabakh problem,
Director of Noravank Foundation Gagik Harutyunian told reporters today.

In his words, Georgia also tries to reconsider its relations with
Turkey and Azerbaijan. “In Georgia, there is a tendency towards
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, even though until now this
tendency has been displayed only at the level of social circles,”
Gagik Harutyunian said.

“Our ideas of Georgia are limited to Javakhk and its Armenian
population. The Georgians also have vague notions of Armenia. I attach
importance to the expansion of the information field between our
countries, which will be advantageous to both Armenia and Georgia,”
he stated.

TODAY, 15:42

Aysor.am

From: Baghdasarian

ARFD INVITES ACTING MAYOR OF YEREVAN TO DEBATES

ARMINFO
Tuesday, April 16, 14:48

Armenian parliamentarian from ARFD Party Aghvan Vardanyan offers
the acting mayor of Yerevan, representative of the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia Taron Margaryan, to hold open debates with Head of
ARFD Faction in the Parliament Armen Rustamyan , who tops the ARFD
party list at the upcoming elections to the Elders’ Council of Yerevan.

Vardanyan told media, Tuesday that Rustamyan is a politician of
principle and his biography is the best evidence of that. Therefore,
an open debate is a good opportunity to compare the political programs
and the personal features of the RPA and ARFD candidates for the
post of the Yerevan mayor, he said. Vardanyan said that on May 5 the
citizens will chose between political forces and not persons. “These
are political elections, first of all, and not just election of a
digithead or a government official. ARFD is seriously preparing for
the elections. There is situation in the country when the public is
mostly dissatisfied with the authorities,” Vardanyan said.

Prosperous Armenia, Orinats Yerkir, the Republican Party of Armenia,
the Armenian National Congress, ARFD, Mission and Barev Yerevan will
run for 65 seats in Yerevan’s Elders Council on May 5. The election
campaign kicked off on Apr 7.

From: Baghdasarian

YAGLAND: EUROPEAN COUNCIL HAS CONSIDERABLE EXPECTATIONS FROM ARMENIA’S PRESIDENCY IN EC

13:40, 17 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 17, ARMENPRESS: The European Council has quite
considerable expectations from the presidency of the Republic of
Armenia in the structure. This was stated by the Secretary General of
the European Council Thorbjørn Jagland at the joint press-conference
held on April 17 with the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Armenia Eduard Nalbandyan. Thorbjørn Jagland said that the
European Council establishes a legal foundation in the continent for
the actions of other countries, according to Armenpress.

The Secretary General of the European Council Thorbjørn Jagland
highlighted as well the strengthening of the EC role and activating of
the implementation of the legal obligations by the states.

The Secretary General of the European Council Thorbjørn Jagland
arrived in Armenia on April 16-18 by the invitation of the Acting
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Eduard
Nalbandyan. During the visit the EC Secretary General will be hosted
by the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and His
Holliness, the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin B.

Armenia has become the full-pledged member of the European Council on
January 25 2001. Armenia’s EC membership process had begun since 1995.

On January 26 1996 the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
was granted a status of special invitee at the EC Parliamentary
Summit. On November 9 2000 Armenia got the offer to become a member of
the European Council. On May 16 2013 Armenia will assume the EC
presidency.

From: Baghdasarian

FATHER OF DETAINEES IN PROSHYAN GOVERNOR MURDER CASE CLAIMS SONS INNOCENT

13:09 ~U 17.04.13

The father of the two brothers detained over the assassination of
Hrach Muradyan, the governor of the Proshyan village (Kotayk region),
has denied his sons’ complicity in the crime.

In an open letter to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Chief of
Police Vladimir Gasparyan and Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan,
Arshak Petrosyan says he is unclear about the motives behind the
inquest body’s decision to suspect his sons of the tragic incident.

The brothers, Arayik Petrosyan and Artak Petrosyan, were detained on
April 3, hours after the village governor was found dead outside his
office. Their father now claims that there were no objective reasons
for detaining his sons.

“Not having any objective fact bearing a direct relationship to the
incident, the inquest body cites my son’s face and the ‘antimony’
substance found inside his car as a gunshot result.

My son has given a relevant explanation in this connection, saying that
he had dealt with his cars batteries which, as specialist say, also
contain the substance known as antimony. In my deepest conviction,
nonetheless, my sons didn’t have any motive for committing such a
crime. What’s even more, they maintained normal, human relations with
late Muradyan,” reads the letter.

Petrosyan says further that his family is also interested in a fair
proceeding that would lead the inquest body to resolve the crime
within the shortest possible timeframes and establish accountability
measures against those guilty.

He expresses concerns over what he calls artificial attempts to
convince the public that his sons really had conflicts with the late
governor. All that, according to him, is aimed at finding “traces”
to “justify” the detainees’ relationship with the incident.

Petrosyan calls for measures to take the proceeding under direct
control, ensuring maximum permissible transparency and publicity.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Baghdasarian