Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

PUTIN POLITICS: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT’S EXPECTED VISIT LIKELY TO INFLUENCE DECISIONS IN YEREVAN
By Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow
12.10.12 | 11:29

Several Armenian media, citing their sources, report the visit to
Armenia by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was originally
said to have been scheduled for mid-September, will take place in
late October or early November.

The Russian leader’s visit was first announced in the summer by
the director of the CIS Institute Konstantin Zatulin, who said that
Putin will attend Collective Security Treaty Organization exercises in
Armenia held in September. The Kremlin had neither denied nor confirmed
that information, leaving Armenian experts guessing afterwards why
Putin did not come to Armenia.

Now the discussion is centered around the entourage of President Putin
on his possible visit to Armenia as well as what he will actually
be bringing to Armenia. The price of natural gas remains high on the
agenda of Armenian-Russian talks.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov said recently that his country
was asked to join the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan
and offered as a “reward” a reduction of natural gas prices down
to $160 per cubic meter. Otherwise, the price of this fuel would
fluctuate around $440. Azarov said that Russia could thus lose its
largest buyer of gas; he did not agree that his country should join
the Customs Union.

One should assume that the same proposal will be made to Armenia.

Armenia’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan
acknowledged that the negotiations on the gas price with Russia
are still continuing. And experts believe that Russia will offer to
maintain or even reduce prices for Armenia if the latter agrees to
integrate with the Eurasian Community, a new integration process in
the post-Soviet space initiated by the Russian president and expected
to get its flesh and bones by 2015.

Another issue that is almost certainly going to be discussed during
Putin’s likely Yerevan meetings will be the upcoming elections
in Armenia. Soon it will be the stage of nomination of candidates
for president in Armenia, and the Kremlin has not yet expressed its
preference on the candidates. In Armenia, the guessing game is around
whether Putin will extend his support to the incumbent president,
Serzh Sargsyan, or will back Robert Kocharyan, the former president.

The Haykakan Zhamanak daily writes that Putin will bring with him
to Armenia Karen Karapetyan, a former mayor of Yerevan and ex-CEO
of ArmRosgazprom, a Russian-Armenian joint venture distributing
natural gas in Armenia. At present, Karapetyan is deputy manager of
Gazprombank in Moscow. The Russia-connected top manager is tipped
as a possible prime minister in Armenia, and the paper assumes it is
the prime minister’s post and not that of president that Putin will
be talking about during his visit to Armenia.

However, there is still one remarkable circumstance that could change
everything. On October 10 Putin unexpectedly canceled his visit to
Turkey, which was originally scheduled for October 14-15. The very
next day Turkey intercepted a Syrian civilian aircraft operating
a flight from Moscow to Damascus. Turkish air force jets made the
Syrian plane land to be searched. Ankara insists component parts for
prohibited weapons were found on board the civil aircraft.

Experts rushed to describe the incident as a sign of damaged
relations between Turkey and Russia, which have been developing quite
incrementally of late. The possible reason for the souring relations is
the escalating situation around Syria and Turkey’s possible invasion
of this embattled country. In Yerevan there has been a traditional
concern that well-developing Russo-Turkish relations could come at
the expense of Armenia. In particular, Russia, on the initiative
of Turkey, could insist on the return of some territories around
Karabakh to Azerbaijan, it does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh, has
not contributed to the opening of an airport in Stepanakert, and so on.

The Turkish factor may also be crucial in what Putin offers to
Armenia. In particular, Russia may want to strengthen its military
base in Armenia that guards the border with Turkey.

Whether the allied relations between Yerevan and Moscow grow in the
future will also depend on the further course of the Russia-Turkey row.

If things around Syria develop according to their recent scenario,
Turkey is likely to invade the Middle Eastern country, which will
ultimately damage its ties with Moscow and create a new international
situation for Yerevan.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA AMONG TOP THREE WORLD NATIONS LEAST BELIEVING IN FAIR ELECTIONS – GALLUP

NEWS.AM
October 11, 2012 | 18:13

YEREVAN. – Women believe less than men in fair elections in the world,
the Gallop reports based on the poll in 125 states last year.

Belief in fair elections is higher in developed countries and opinions
differ between men and women, while in developing countries there is
no difference between opinions of men and women.

Armenia is among the top three countries, where a population does not
believe in fair elections. In Armenia only 13 percent of women and 12
percent of men believe in fair elections. Armenia ranked after Haiti
and Mongolia in the list of nations not believing in fair elections.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN FORMER FM’S PERSECUTION ATTACK AGAINST DEMOCRACY

news.am
October 12, 2012 | 19:22

YEREVAN.- Former Armenian FM and Prosperous Armenia Party MP Vartan
Oskanian considers the charges brought against him as nothing but
political persecution.

In an interview with DW he said there are two reasons for considering
persecution politically motivated. First of all it has no legal ground
and, secondly, the timing is very important.

The charges are brought regarding the case that actually occurred
two years ago. He stressed that Armenia is preparing for presidential
elections, while he is a member of a party which can become a serious
rival for the ruling political force.

Oskanian noted he has no intention to struggle at the legal level,
as it is a political issue. The persecution is not against Oskanian
or his party but against democracy in Armenia, he emphasized.

He assured the issue will never be bargained by Prosperous Armenia
Party, adding that this political force will play an essential role
during the presidential elections.

From: Baghdasarian

TRADE TURNOVER BETWEEN ARMENIA AND CHINA MAY REACH $500 MILLION

news.am
October 12, 2012 | 17:28

YEREVAN.- China is Armenia’s important economic partner, Ambassador
Tian Changchun said during the conference “Mutually beneficial
cooperation between Armenia and China” held in Yerevan

Speaking during the event organized by the Armenian-Chinese center
for cooperation, Ambassador said cooperation between the two nations
dates back to ancient times when the Silk Road united two cultures.

The Ambassador also underscored the role of Armenian soldiers in the
Soviet Army’s liberation of China.

The diplomat stressed that China considers Armenia an important
partner in the South Caucasus.

In this context, Ambassador stressed importance of visits, in
particular, the Armenian President’s visit to China in 2008 and 2010.

“China is Armenia’s important trade partner. In 2011, bilateral trade
amounted to about $420 million. It may reach $500 million this year,”
he added.

Speaking about successful cooperation projects, he named Shanxi-Nairit
joint venture and reconstruction of the fifth unit of Hrazdan thermal
power plant.

Armenia and China have signed over 40 agreements and memorandums.

Armenia has 41 enterprises with Chinese capital.

From: Baghdasarian

WHO WILL WEST BET ON?

04:25 pm | Today | Politics

The opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) will retain its
seats in parliament as a radical opposition, while the Heritage Party
[led by Raffi Hovannisian] is just ‘kidding,’ says Republican party
MP Hayk Babukhanyan.

“Raffi is seeking to become the candidate that will attract the West,
making the latter bet on him,” he told a news conference on Friday.

Hayk Babukhanyan met journalists to say that during the 2013
presidential elections Serzh Sargsyan will be re-elected in the
first round.

“The opposition cannot field a joint candidate because of their
ambitions. Besides, none of the opposition candidates can achieve
success, so their main problem is to attract attention in the political
domain,” said the Republican MP.

Hayk Babukhanyan also referred to the statement of the U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia, who expressed concerns about the National Assembly’s
decision to strip [former foreign minister] Vartan Oskanian of his
parliamentary mandate and involve him in a controversial criminal
case as a defendant.

“The U.S. Ambassador [John Heffern] openly interferes in the internal
affairs of Armenia, trying to intervene in the investigation and
support a concrete person. He shows that Western bets are likely put
on Oskanian’s case,” said Babukhanyan.

From: Baghdasarian

HUNGARIAN CITIZENS NOT DISCRIMINATED IN ARMENIA – HUNGARY’S MFA

news.am
October 12, 2012 | 17:38

Hungarian Foreign Ministry’s consulate service issued a statement
for those who want to visit Armenia.

The statement says Hungarian foreign ministry has not received
any information suggesting that Hungarians in Armenia have been
discriminated against since that country’s suspending diplomatic ties
with Hungary, MTI agency reported.

The Ministry said Armenian authorities have not introduced
restrictions for Hungarian visitors, and visas to Armenia continue to
be available. However, Hungarian citizens were warned that consular
affairs are not available in Armenia and they must apply to other
embassy of EU member states in Yerevan.

Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier that Ramil Safarov, a lieutenant
in the Azerbaijani military, was extradited on August 31 from Hungary,
where he was serving a life sentence-and with no expression of
either regret or remorse-for the premeditated axe murder of Armenian
lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, in his sleep, during a NATO Partnership
for Peace program in Budapest back in 2004.

As expected, Ramil Safarov’s return to Baku was welcomed, as was
his act of murder, by the officials of president Ilham Aliyev’s
government and much of Azerbaijani society, and the Azerbaijani
president immediately granted him a pardon.

And Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan announced on August 31 that
Armenia is suspending its diplomatic ties with Hungary.

From: Baghdasarian

MR MAYOR, HAVEN’T YOU EVER BEEN INTERESTED IN WHERE OUR DISABLED ARE (VIDEO, PHOTO)

2012-10-12 17:32:05

“Bridge of hope” social organization launched an action before the
City Hall towards Erebuni-Yerevan holiday entitled “Yerevan is my
city, too.”

More than 180.000 disabled people live in Armenia. They are deprived
of moving freely, visiting educational, cultural, health and other
facilities, making use of transport means and elementary opportunities
of taking part in social life.

Lots of projects are being worked out now, different programs are
being realized directed to renovation of the capital city of improving
transport means, but disabled people still continue living isolated.

This was the purpose of the protest of the disabled people. They came
to meet Yerevan’s mayor Taron Margaryan and hand him a letter, by which
they ask to include them in general development program of the city.

“We feel ourselves alien in our city, Yerevan is not ours. Mr mayor,
haven’t You ever been interested in where are our city’s disabled
people, and why don’t we meet them in places, where others can be
seen? Your initiative in constructing playing yards in Yerevan is
highly appreciated, but have you ever thought where are the disabled
children? Don’t they want to play?

Today disabled people continue living isolated in our city,” the
letter read.

From: Baghdasarian

HERITAGE, FREE DEMOCRATS CONTROLLED BY ONE CENTER – ARMENIAN POLITICIAN

tert.am
12.10.12

Clarifying the relations between the Heritage party and Free Democrats
is nothing but “kindergarteners’ play,” Haik Babukhanyan, Chairman
of the Constitutional Law Union (CLU), told journalists on Friday.

“Raffi [Hovanisyan] is eager to be a candidate the West can rely on.

But we can see that he is a failure in the political arena and lacks
any abilities as a ruler,” Babukhanyan said.

“Since they are controlled by one and the same transatlantic center,
it will try to reconcile them,” Babukhanyan said.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA AGAINST “COMPATRIOTS”

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:26:13 – 12/10/2012

The Russian “Compatriots” program can’t be implemented in Armenia
against its will, said the deputy foreign minister of Armenia
Shavarsh Kocharyan today after the session of the Armenia-Russia
inter-governmental commission.

Protocols, including one on the “Compatriots” program were signed in
the course of the session.

Kocharyan said that the protocols define the clear positions of the
sides: the Russia side is interested, the Armenian side is against
the program.

According to him, the program can’t be implemented due to Armenia’s
clearly expressed position. At the same time, the deputy foreign
minister refrained from further comments on whether the program will
cease in Armenia.

From: Baghdasarian

PIECES BY KOMITAS AND ARAM KHACHATURIAN TO BE PLAYED IN ISTANBUL

armradio.am
13:51 12.10.2012

The works of two of the most titanic figures in Armenian music, Komitas
and Aram Khachaturian, will bring together a collection of Turkish
and Armenian artists for a special concert tomorrow in Istanbul.

Armenian-American piano virtuoso Shahan Artsruni and famous Turkish
violin virtuoso Cihat AÅ~_kın will take the stage at Istanbul’s
Cemal ReÅ~_it Rey Concert Hall tomorrow to perform pieces by Komitas
and Aram Khachaturian, the Hurriyet Daily news reported.

“Cihat is a violinist of international standing. He is a colleague
whose musical language speaks to me. Unlike other musical partners,
when we are together we don’t have lengthy discussions, we don’t have
to make compromises. We feel the same way. We make music, plain and
simple,” Artsruni told the Hurriyet Daily News.

AÅ~_kın said interpreting Komitas’ pieces was of great importance
to him as an artist. “Komitas is one the first composers and
ethnomusicologists of this land. He collected Anatolian songs for
the first time.”

During the concert, Artsruni and AÅ~_kın will also interpret
world-renowned Armenian composer Khachaturian’s works. “Komitas is the
wellspring of Armenian music; Khachaturian is the musical ambassador
of Armenian culture,” said Artsruni.

From: Baghdasarian