Author: Frangulian Shushan

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext. 202
Fax: +37410. 565601
Email: [email protected]

Minis ter Oskanian Explains Diplomatic Dismissals

President Robert Kocharian relieved three ambassadors of their posts and
ranks, and Minister Vartan Oskanian relieved another seven diplomats, all
for acting in contradiction to Armenia’s law on diplomatic service.
Reporters asked the Minister to explain these developments.

Minister Oskanian responded, `Those holding positions in the diplomatic
service do not have the right to take public political positions. This
contradicts the law of the Republic. Beyond the ambassadors who were
relieved of their posts by the President, there were six others at the
Ministry, who were relieved by me, today. For the same reason – the law
precludes a diplomat’s engagement in political activity.

`Regarding the ambassadors who were relieved of their positions, let me say
this. Those ambassadors joined a movement whose leader, during the entire
campaign, clearly and repeatedly labeled this state a `kleptocracy’ and the
President, `the gang leader.’ How do you imagine that these ambassadors who
represent this president and this state would continue to work, if they
obviously agree with that label?

`Second, if we look at those who have been released from their positions,
there are those who are deeply connected to the former administration, they
are either friends or old colleagues, they are either related to high-level
officials, or were high-level officials themselves in the former
administration. And here’s the pity. Because they struck, first of all, at
tolerance. When President Kocharian came to office, he articulated a clear
policy: we don’t touch our cadres. Ambassadors grow into their positions,
they’re not born into them. We invest in our cadres, so long as they have
decided to serve the state, this is the normal state of affairs in normal
countries. So, this action was an assault on tolerance. That is what hurts
me most. It pained me to sign those orders, and to hear the president’s
orders being read on TV. I view this as a strike at our institution, at
something that we had suceeded in embedding in our ministry. Not only did
they continue to work, but they had continued to rise in the ranks, without
experiencing any discrimination. It is exactly these people who should have
been the last to resort to such a step. But unfortunately, they somehow
succumbed.

`I’ve been asked whether there other people in the same category? I’m not
even going to try to find out. Our principles will not change. There won’t
be a witchhunt. Those who have not made public announcements will continue
to work. Just because some have broken the law, doesn’t mean we will.’

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Feb 21 2008

Babacan tells Russian press: Upper Karabakh should be given back to
Azerbaijan

The New Anatolian / Ankara
21 February 2008

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Turkey believed Upper
Karabakh should be given back to Azerbaijan.

Babacan, who was in Russian capital on Wednesday, replied to
questions of Russian journalists after completing his talks.

Commenting on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, Babacan said Turkey
desired UN Security Council’s decisions to be implemented regarding
the Karabakh issue and the invasion on Azerbaijani territory should
be ended.

Replying to a question on Iran’s nuclear program, Babacan said
problems related to such issue should be solved through diplomatic
means and in a peaceful manner.

Upon a question, Babacan said Turkey had no secret agenda regarding
Middle East and its only desire was to see peace and stability in the
region.

He said Turkey had a balancing role and a reliable position in the
region, adding that Turkey was ready to use the important
communication channels it had as a tool to solve the problems and to
provide peace.

Commenting on the cooperation between Russia and Turkey regarding
energy issue, Babacan said, during his talks with Russian Energy
Minister Viktor Khristenko, they discussed the current and potential
cooperation opportunities between the countries.

Babacan said Russia and Turkey were not rivals but they had
complementary roles regarding energy issue.

Replying to a question on Kosovo, Babacan said the international
community was divided and had different views on the issue.

"Every country has a different legal and political position. We
respect Russia’s posiiton as well. However, ours are different.
Consequently, we recognized Kosovo’s independence on Monday," he
said.

RA PRESIDENT ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS FOR SECURING ORDER IN THE REPUBLIC

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.02.2008 18:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian held a meeting
with Police leaders Saturday to discuss the domestic situation,
the President’s press office reported.

Noting that the current developments cause artificial tension, Mr
Kocharian said, "Worthy defeat in a political struggle is one of the
most important constituents of democratic culture which, unfortunately,
has not been formed in Armenia yet.

"Our measures will be aimed at maintenance of stability and order in
the country," he stressed.

The RA President issued appropriate instructions while the Police
leaders assured that there is sufficient potential for securing the
order in the republic.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s supporters demanded resignation of leadership of
Armenian Public TV and Radio Company

2008-02-23 16:57:00

ArmInfo. Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s supporters demanded resignation of
leadership of Armenian Public TV and Radio Company. As ArmInfo
correspondent reports, leader of Social and Democratic "Hnchakyan"
party Lyudmila Sarkisyan and press-secretary of People’s Party of
Armenia Ruzan Khachatryan handed over the statement with demands of the
opposition to the head of administration of Public TV and Radio Company
Armen Andreasyan. Ter-Petrosyan’s supporters demand "to broadcast
impartial and real-time information at public TV and radio about the
protest actions that started after rigging of the presidential election
results>. The second demand of oppositionists is giving TV air to the
candidate for president Levon Ter-Petrosyan and his supporters. The
leader of "Hnchakyan" party L. Sarkisyan said: hundreds of thousands
people voted, which support public TV and radio company by means of
their tax payments. At present constitutional right of people to get
information about the events in the republic is violated>. The
oppositionists also said they will demand resignation of chairman of
Public TV and Radio Company Council Aleksan Harutyunyan if their
demands are not fulfilled immediately. At present participants in the
procession started leaving the territory near Radio House and returning
to Liberty Square. No incident happened in front of the building of
Radio House.

GEORGIAN PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES ARMENIA’S PRIME MINISTER SERGE SARGSIAN ON HIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION VICTORY

ARKA
Feb 21 2008

YEREVAN, February 21. /ARKA/. Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili
has congratulated RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian on his victory in
Armenia’s presidential election.

The Georgian leader wished Sargsian good luck, the RA Government’s
press service reports.

RA Prime Minister, RPA (Republican Party of Armenia) Leader Serge
Sargsian took 52.86 per cent of the votes in the February 19
presidential election in Armenia.

RA POLICE LEADERS NOT GOING TO SUPPORT TER-PETROSYAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.02.2008 12:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Police refuted Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
statement that the police led by Minister Hayk Harutyunyan announced
support to the protesters at Liberty Square.

"The police leaders and all sub-units are performing the functions
envisaged by the law and are ready to protect the citizens’
constitutional rights and to rebuff any attempt to breach the peace
and destabilize the republic," the statement says.

ACCORDING TO VAZGEN MANUKIAN, STRUGGLE IS STILL AHEAD

Noyan Tapan
Feb 22, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The anti-democratic system, which
has been established since 1995, held regular elections with numerous
infringements, we are already familiar with. This is said in the
statement of Vazgen Manukian, the Leader of the National Democratic
Union and an RA presidential candidate.

According to him, now those, who have created that flawed system,
have declared an uncompromising struggle against those, who make
use of the same system, in which numerous fair people are involved,
who sincerely believe that it is a struggle for the future of the
country. "In reality, that is a struggle for achieving power by all
means on the way of hatred for the organizers. That struggle will do no
good to either our state or our people," is mentioned in the message.

According to Vazgen Manukian, the struggle is still ahead and they
are full of decisiveness for changing the consciousness of society
towards real national and universal values, only in case of which
it is possible to build a new Armenia based on national democratic
principles.

ALL PEOPLE RIGGING ELECTIONS SHOULD BEAR PUNISHMENT ESTABLISHED BY LAW, EDUARD SHARMAZANOV STATES

Noyan Tapan
Feb 21, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Eduard Sharmazanov, the Spokesperson
of Serge Sargsian’s preelection headquarters, commenting upon the
inaccuracies revealed as a result of recounting of votes in some
polling stations, stated: "Serge Sargsian’s preelection headquarters
condemns all cases, as a result of which it will be found out that
the electoral commission has deliberately distorted the result of free
expression of voters’ will, irrespective of the fact whether it was in
favor or to the detriment of someone. Our candidate Serge Sargsian has
repeatedly stated that we will pursue the organization of the process
of presidential elections within the law, therefore all people rigging
the elections should bear punishment established by the law."

ARMENIA OPPOSITION PROTESTS AGAIN OVER VOTE
By Margarita Antidze and Hasmik Lazarian

Reuters
Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:19am EST

YEREVAN (Reuters) – Thousands of opposition supporters gathered in
Armenia’s capital for a second day on Thursday and said they would
not leave until the victory of Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan in a
presidential election is overturned.

Official results gave Sarksyan, a close ally of outgoing President
Robert Kocharyan, 52.86 percent in a vote on Tuesday that Western
observers said had been broadly fair. Sarksyan has pledged to continue
his predecessor’s policies.

His chief opponent, former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, alleged the
vote was distorted by ballot-stuffing and intimidation of opposition
activities.

Official results gave him 21.5 percent of the vote.

Perched high in the Caucasus mountains, Armenia is in a region emerging
as a key transit route for energy supplies from the Caspian Sea to
world markets, though it has no pipelines of its own.

Reuters reporters at the protest on Freedom Square, outside Yerevan’s
opera house, said between 15,000 and 20,000 demonstrators had gathered
on Thursday — roughly the same number that protested the day before.

"Our protest will be permanent," said Nikol Pashinyan, a senior aide
to Ter-Petrosyan. "We demand that the Central Election Commission
declare the election invalid and call a new election," he said.

Authorities have not given permission for the protest but police kept
a low-key presence and did not try to intervene.

In a statement, 53-year-old Sarksyan said he would not allow the
protests to drag the ex-Soviet state of 3.2 million people into
turmoil. He said the vote was fair.

"Every person has the right to freedom of speech but any … attempt
to provoke instability is not permissible in a democratic country,"
he said.

DISPUTES WITH NEIGHBOURS

Sarksyan will take over a country with a growing economy but which is
hampered by disputes with two of its neighbors, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a war in the 1990s over the disputed
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, and some analysts warn it could flare
again into fighting.

BP-led pipelines shipping Caspian Sea oil and gas to world markets
pass near the conflict zone.

Turkey has no diplomatic relations with Armenia and the border is
shut, a consequence of the Nagorno-Karabakh war in which Ankara
backed Azerbaijan.

Ties between Armenia and Turkey are also complicated by the killing
of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War One. Turkey strongly
denies Armenian claims the killings were genocide.

Sarksyan, like Kocharyan, is a native of Nagorno-Karabakh and he is
seen in Ankara as a hardliner.

Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul on Thursday said he hoped Sarksyan’s
victory would lead to a normalization of relations.

"I sincerely wish that .. an atmosphere based on reciprocal trust
and cooperation can be established," Gul said in a message of
congratulations to Sarksyan.

LEVON TER-PETROSYAN’S ELECTION CAMPAIGN TEAM DEMANDS NEW PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA

Today.Az
21 February 2008

Considering falsifications, which distorted the will of the people,
the election campaign team of Levon Ter-Petrosyan does not recognize
results of elections, declared by the Central Election Commission,
in Armenia and demands holding of new presidential elections.

"We intend to continue national fight for establishment of a legal
power in Armenia and restoration of people’s dignity", the election
campaign team of Levon Ter-Petrosyan announces.

According to the announcement, presidential elections and voting
making-up was accompanied by "impudent law offenses everywhere".

"The citizens of Armenia were subject to abusing physical and moral
violence, and numerous assaults and kidnapping of parliamentarians,
reporters, plenipotentiaries and observers were recorded, which
remained unnoticed by law-enforcement bodies", the statement says.

According to the election campaign team, ballot papers were thrown in
during the elections, while militaries of urgent service and residents
of numerous villages were obliged to vote openly under the control
of state representatives.

"Yet, the main violations were recorded in process of votes
calculation. The process was carried out in conditions of power cut
at election points, provocations addressed to authorized persons,
recognition of ballot papers for Levon Ter-Petrosyan as invalid. All
these cases were fixed by the plenipotentiaries of the ex-president
in numerous protocols and there is a great number of proofs of it",
the announcement says.