Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

Politique
Gagik Tsarukian ne présentera pas sa candidature pour 2013

Le chef du Parti Arménie prospère (BHK), Gagik Tsarukian, a déclaré
mercredi 12 décembre qu’il ne se présentera pas en tant que candidat à
la prochaine élection présidentielle.

C’est à travers une déclaration écrite que G. Tsarukian a annoncé sa
décision lors d’une réunion d’urgence du parti et du groupe
parlementaire. Le communiqué ne précise pas les raisons pour
lesquelles G. Tsakurian a décidé de ne pas se présenter. Le
porte-parole du BHK, Tigran Urikhanian, a dit : « Le parti Arménie
prospère a d’autres priorités que la présidentielle. Vous devez
également garder à l’esprit que cette décision est personnelle. »

Certains médias arméniens affirmaient cette semaine que Tsarukian
subissait une forte pression de Sarkissian et avait décidé de ne pas
contester la réélection du président après une réunion avec Serge
Sarkissian. Le BHK a rejeté ces allégations.

Urikhanian a insisté sur le fait que Tsarukian n’a pas été forcé de
quitter la course à la présidentielle. Tsarukian a apporté son soutien
à la réélection de Sarkissian dans une déclaration conjointe signée
avec le président en février 2011. Son parti était représenté au sein
du gouvernement de coalition de l’Arménie par quatre ministres.
Tsarukian a remis en question cet accord en septembre 2011, suscitant
de nouvelles tensions entre le Parti républicain et le BHK. Le parti
Arménie Prospère s’est retiré de la coalition au pouvoir à la suite
des élections parlementaires de mai 2012.

Le BHK a depuis intensifié ses critiques envers le gouvernement. Ses
proches collaborateurs ont déclaré le mois dernier que Tsarukian
serait prêt à présenter sa candidature pour la prochaine élection
présidentielle.

Les discussions sur la nouvelle situation politique se poursuivent
maintenant au sein du Congrès national arménien, a affirmé le
porte-parole du HAK, Arman Musinian, à RFE / RL après la réunion.
Ter-Petrossian, qui n’a pas assisté à la réunion de mercredi, n’a
toujours pas annoncé s’il se présentera. Les observateurs ont suggéré
qu’il attendra jusqu’à ce que Tsarukian précise ses plans relatifs aux
élections pour décider d’entrer dans la course.

jeudi 13 décembre 2012,
Laetitia ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

Trend, Azerbaijan
Dec 12 2012

Deputy Minister: Azerbaijan should not cooperate with Armenia in case
of WTO accession

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec.12 /Trend A.Akhundov/

Azerbaijan should not cooperate with Armenia in case of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) accession, Deputy Foreign Minister, Chief
Negotiator on the accession Mahmoud Mammadguliyev told journalists.

“The charter of the WTO has an article, according to which, certain
countries do not cooperate with each other, given the political
security issues,” Mammadguliyev said.

He noted that Armenia, when joining the WTO, has sent a letter stating
that it would not oppose the entry of Azerbaijan in this organization.

“As a member of the WTO, Armenia participates in the working group on
the admission of Azerbaijan, but does not direct any questions or
suggestions, knowing that it will not get an answer,” Mammadguliyev
said.

Azerbaijan has been represented at the World Trade Organisation as an
observer since 1997 and began negotiating in 2004. Azerbaijan is
holding bilateral negotiations with the United States, Japan, Brazil,
Ecuador, Sri Lanka, European Union, Norway, India, South Korea, Taiwan
Province of China, Canada, Switzerland and Honduras.

Negotiations with Turkey, the Sultanate of Oman, United Arab Emirates,
Georgia and Kyrgyzstan have been completed and protocols were signed.
The country is in the process of signing the protocol with Moldova,
which is still considering the document.

The working group on Azerbaijan to the WTO was established on July 16, 1997.

From: Baghdasarian

All Voices
Dec 12 2012

Grigory Ayvazyan says may compete with Ilham Aliyev in Azerbaijani
presidential elections

Azerbaijan disrupted the process of settlement of the Karabakh
conflict by pardoning and glorifying murderer Ramil Safarov, President
of the Assembly of Azerbaijani Armenian Grigory Ayvazyan told a press
conference .

Despite the anti-Armenian disposition of Azerbaijan, Grigory Ayvazyan,
born and raised in Baku, is ready to his native town.
In 2010 Grigory Ayvazyan was trying to become a member of parliament
of Azerbaijan, next year he may compete with Ilham AliyevIlham Aliyev
in the presidential elections.

Touching upon the process of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, Ayvazyan said Azerbaijan disrupted it by pardoning and
glorifying Ramil Safarov, who had axe-murdered sleeping Armenian
Officer Gurgen Margaryan.

According to Ayvazyan, today Azerbaijan poses a threat to regional
security and stability. He added that the key to the pro-Armenian
solution of the Karabakh conflict is in our hands, and must try to use
it correctly. `Azerbaijan lost Karabakh long ago,’ he added.

From: Baghdasarian

PAP decision not to affect political agenda – MP

18:45 – 12.12.12

The Prosperous Armenia party’s (PAP) decision not to nominate its
leader for presidency or back any candidate cannot affect the
political forces’ agenda, says an opposition lawmaker.

Speaking to Tert.am, Aghvan Vardanyan of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Dashnaksutyun said their party is going move forward with
its proposed plan regardless of the PAP’s decision.

`We are moving ahead, to our Supreme Assembly, along the path we have
chosen. Our activities are public. The consultations are held in a
public manner, so you are aware of everything,’ he said.

But Vardanyan declined to comment on the PAP electorate’s possible
choice in the upcoming election. `I am not in the habit of speaking on
people’s behalf,’ he said, without giving further comment on the PAP’s
motives.

From: Baghdasarian

Expert skeptical over ex-president Kocharian’s comeback

December 12, 2012 – 21:02 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Political analyst Armen Badalyan has expressed
skepticism over the comeback of former Armenian president Robert
Kocharian.
`Don’t think that geopolitical centers will stake on Kocharian’s
comeback ahead of the presidential polls,’ the expert told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, deeming the ex-leader’s return logical on
Dec 25-Jan 4, during the candidates’ registration.
He further noted that Kocharian has no backing even in terms of
organizational issues unless Prosperous Armenia resolves to endorse
him.

From: Baghdasarian

Stamp to the 20th jubilee of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund canceled in Yerevan

YEREVAN, December 12. /ARKA/. Yerevan hosted Wednesday the official
cancellation of the stamp dedicated to the 20th anniversary of
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund.

The special logotype is designed on the stamp. Inside the circle there
are the names of the countries, which have the Fund’s offices. The
stamp has the colors of the Armenian flag.

The stamp was cancelled by the director of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
Ara Vardanyan, Director General of `Haypost Trust Management’ Juan
Pablo Gechidjian, Chief Executive Officer of Haypost CJSC Hayk
Avagyan.

`I hope the jubilee stamp will remind people about our Fund, and that
each Armenian should fulfill his duties to the motherland,’ Vardanyan
said.
The programs implemented by the Fund over the last 20 years are valued
at nearly 250 million dollars.

The Fund said these projects include: 476 kilometers of roads; 281
kilometers of water lines; 144 kilometers of gas lines; 230 schools
and kindergartens; 424 residences; 40 hospitals and medical clinics,
24 cultural centers and sports facilities; and 85 educational,
cultural, and scientific programs.

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund was founded by Presidential Decree in 1992.

It is a unique institution whose mission is to unite the Armenians in
Armenia and abroad to overcome the country’s difficulties and to help
establish sustainable development in Armenia and Artsakh.

Haypost CJSC is a national post operator of Armenia. It operates via
900 post offices throughout the country. – 0-

From: Baghdasarian

Requiem for Armenia’s late ambassador to UK to be held Saturday

NEWS.AM
December 12, 2012 | 16:34

YEREVAN. – The requiem ceremony for dear departed Karine Ghazinyan,
Armenia’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, will be held Saturday in capital city Yerevan.

Her funeral and last farewell ceremony will take place Sunday at
Komitas Chamber Music Hall, MFA press service informs.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Karine Ghazinyan passed
away unexpectedly on December 6 in a Los Angeles hospital.

Ghazinyan was born in 1955, and, during the Soviet era, she worked at
the USSR embassies in Mozambique and Portugal. Following Armenia’s
independence in 1991, she performed the duties of the country’s
ambassador to Romania, Germany, and – until her passing – UK. In addition,
she worked as Deputy FM and Armenia-EU Association Agreement Chief
Negotiator.

She was a graduate of Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of
Government.

Karine Ghazinyan was awarded with the Mkhitar Gosh Medal, and the
Order of the Grand Cross of Romania.

She was fluent in English, Russian, German, Romanian, and Portuguese.

Karine Ghazinyan was a widow, and she had a son and a daughter.

From: Baghdasarian

Armenia, UNDP to eliminate 1,500 tons of obsolete pesticides and
highly contaminated materials
14:36 12.12.2012

Hasmik Dilanyan
`Radiolur’

An inception workshop was organized today with participation of
Patrice Coeur-Bizot, UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Armenia, and
Aram Harutyunyan, RA Minister of Nature Protection, to kick-off the
project to protect health and the environment by eliminating obsolete
pesticide stockpiles and addressing contaminated sites through a sound
chemical management framework.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a Soviet Union-wide program was
initiated to collect the accumulated banned and expired pesticides
from the distribution system and dispose them in landfills or burial
sites. In 1990, it was estimated that overall approximate 600 such
storehouses existed in Armenia.

These contaminated sites present major environmental and health
concerns as most of them have a high risk of general release into the
environment and into agricultural production. As part of the project
preparatory process, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has
allocated USD 140,000 preparation grant.

In his welcoming remarks Patrice Coeur-Bizot said, `This is difficult
but important project. I am confident that the political and financial
commitments, combined with the transparent collaboration framework
involving major government entities and civil society organizations,
will contribute to its successful implementation. Flexibility and
innovation should be guiding principles for decision making during
project development and implementation.’

Continuous release of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) into the
environment will be prevented through the excavation, packaging and
secure storage of high concentration POPs and associated material. It
is estimated that up to 1,500 tons of obsolete pesticides and highly
contaminated materials and around 2,000 tons of moderately
contaminated materials will be eliminated. Through the application of
contemporary health and environmental risk assessment methodologies,
the project will focus on strengthening national capacities to address
the risks, as well as develop baseline data that will help to track
reduction of POPs release.

From: Baghdasarian

Gagik Tsarukyan not to run for President

15:16 12.12.20120

The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) will not nominate a candidate at
the forthcoming presidential elections and will not support any of the
candidates. The decision was made during today’s joint sitting of PAP
parliamentary faction and secretariat.

The sitting was convened with only one issue on the agenda – the
format of participation of Prosperous Armenia Party in the 2013
presidential elections.

Leader of the Party Gagik Tsarukyan said in his opening remarks that
he would not run for President. He thanked his colleagues for
unequivocal trust and support.

From: Baghdasarian

Typical Azerbaijani Behavior

DECEMBER 11, 2012 00:35

Before the final matches of the Youth World Boxing Championship,
Ching-Kuo Wu, the president of the AIBA, stated during a meeting with
Armenian and international journalists that he had met with the heads
of the Azerbaijani delegation, they had expressed no complaint about
the organizers and had conveyed their gratitude through him for
receiving them, insuring their security, for everything. It seemed
that that was it, and the Azerbaijanis were honest. But, as one could
expect, they have two standards – the real one for the outside world
and the one they use inside their country. Returning to Baku, Pavriz
Baghirov who won a bronze medal in the 64kg weight class, forgetting
about the disgraceful behavior of Azerbaijanis toward Armenian boxers
in Baku, complained to Azerisport that when the Azerbaijani boxers
would approach the Yerevan ring, the local fans would whistle. Talking
about their security, the boxer admitted, nonetheless, that everything
was up to the mark, but he didn’t forget to besmirch, stating that
they had been `locked’ so well that they hadn’t even had an
opportunity to see the city. And they didn’t see anything interesting
from the bus window on the way to the airport, but they managed to
notice that there were no new multistory buildings in Yerevan.

Ashot HAKOBYAN

From: Baghdasarian