Author: Hovhannisian John

WORLD RECOGNIZES ELECTION RETURNS
Armen Tsaturyan

Hayots Ashkhar
Saturday 23 February 2008

Serge Sargsyan, who gained a cogent victory during the presidential
elections, is receiving messages of congratulation.

It’s worth mentioning, that Serge Sargsyan is the first President of
Armenia who immediately after his victory received congratulations from
the General Secretaries of the Organization of Collective Security
Treaty and NATO. This testifies to the relations of mutual trust
established by ex-Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan with the before
mentioned two most powerful military political organizations.

One of the important messages of congratulation received by the newly
elected President of Armenia is the one from the Supreme Commissioner
on the Issues of Security and Universal Foreign Politics of the
European Union Javier Solana.

Approving the estimations of the European observers regarding the
Presidential elections in Armenia, Javier Solana assured that the
European Union will be loyal to the principles of the policy of
European neighbors, aimed at extending relations with our country.

It turns out that our newly elected President has already got
guarantees both from Russia and the political leadership of the
European Union as well as the Organization of Collective Security
Treaty and NATO, to provide global and territorial security and to
extend the political cooperation with Armenia.

The messages of congratulation from the neighbor countries have a
special place in the congratulations received by the third President
of Armenia. We should remind that we have already informed you about
the congratulations sent by, French President Nicola Sarcozy, Russian
President Vladimir Putin, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and
Georgian President M. Sahakashvili.

The message of congratulation sent by Turkish President Abdullah Gyul,
is especially noteworthy. Of course Turkish diplomacy has always
been striking with its swift responses, and calls for peace and
friendship. But the message of the Turkish President is not limited
with commonplace formulations, because he proposes to establish
an atmosphere of mutual trust that really lacks between the two
people. This factor should not be underestimated.

It is also noteworthy that from the world political centers only
Washington is late in their official congratulation to the third
President of Armenia. The contents of the recent announcement heard
from the USA demonstrate, that in fact they recognize the February 19
presidential elections, in Armenia. On this occasion Mathew Braise
has already given his clear estimation, driving away the double
impression of the concern heard from the Representative of State
Department Edgar Vasquez, regarding the failings during the process
of counting the votes.

If OSCE mission has clearly underscored in its preliminary report that
the presidential elections in Armenia in general met the European
standards, in such case the United States, which has always had a
decisive role in the formation of the observation missions has no
ground to give other estimations.

By recognizing the election returns official Washington prefers
waiting, until the moment (as Mathew Braise says, like in Georgia)
all the concerns regarding the process of counting the votes are
finally studies.

Similar attitude of course gives enthusiasm to LTP’s supporters
gathered in the Theatrical Square. But in our view it is a dangerous
delusion, because the United Stated has always used its well-practiced
and polished double standard policy to put pressure on the authorities
of this or that country by the help of the opposition. It is no more
than an attempt of a formation of a political counterbalance or a
"pendulum" practiced in Georgia recently, where the role of the
opposition is the realization of American policy.

Thus the official responses to February 19 elections testify that
world’s most powerful states and the most influential international
organizations have already recognized the fact of the elections of
the third President of Armenia and they are ready to extend their
cooperation with our country and our newly elected leader.

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Feb 21 2008

Azerbaijan Sends Memorandum to International Organizations Regarding
Armenian Elections
21.02.08 11:50

Azerbaijan, Baku, 21 February / Trend News corr. S.Ilhamgizi / The
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry submitted a memorandum to the
international organizations due to the fact that the polling stations
during the latest presidential elections in Armenia were organized on
Azerbaijani occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions. The
memo was submitted to the OSCE, Parliamentary Assembly of Council of
Europe and European Parliament.

Such action by the Armenians demonstrates once again their occupation
of the Azerbaijani territories by the Armenian Armed forces.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has requested international agencies
to investigate this illegal act and undertake necessary measures.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in
1988, due to the Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
Since 1992, the Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of
Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven
neighbouring districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a
ceasefire agreement which ended the active hostilities. The Co-Chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently
holding the peaceful negotiations.

Today, Azerbaijan
Feb. 22, 2008

Head of the State Customs Committee: "Import of Armenian production
to Azerbaijan is prevented opportunely"

22 February 2008 [18:06] – Today.Az

Import of Armenian production to Azerbaijan including coffee, has not
only trade but also political grounds.

The due announcement was made by Aydin Aliyev, chairman of the State
Customs Committee, visiting Yardimli.

He said the Armenian production was confiscated from definite
persons.

"The production is supplied to Azerbaijan via Georgia. Some try to
supply Armenian goods to the Azerbaijani market. But we manage to
prevent it timely", he noted.

Aliyev added that when such production is revealed, the officials of
the customs bodies inform the community about it and the goods are
terminated.

/APA/

URL:

JAN KUBIS: THE ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WAS A STEP FORWARD

armradio.am
25.02.2008 15:24

"The newly elected President of Armenia is well familiar with the
negotiation process on the Karabakh conflict settlement and the content
of the document on the bargaining table. We will not lose time and
will quickly restart the talks, hoping to register additional progress
before the presidential elections in Azerbaijan," RA Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian said during today’s join press conference with the
President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,
Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Jan Kubis.

Minister Oskanian informed that after the official proclamation of
the election results, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs demonstrate the
intention to organize the first meeting. Serge Sargsyan will assume
RA President’s office on April 9, and according to Oskanian, the EU
Special Representative has also called on the new President and the
President of Azerbaijan to have a meeting in the near future.

The President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,
Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Jan Kubis declared that the "presidential
elections in Armenia were a step forward." Mr. Kubis said this is
evidenced by the preliminary conclusion of the International Election
Observation Mission, which included representatives of the OSCE/ODIHR
and the Council of Europe.

The Slovenian President noted that the Armenian authorities
"demonstrate restraint and behave in a responsible way" in the
post-election period.

Jan Kubis expressed hope that all participants of the political
processes in Armenia will refrain from violence and conflict.

The President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
expressed hope that the Armenian authorities will react to the
remarks of the international observers in due time. In particular,
he welcomed the recount of votes at some precincts.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION ‘REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS’ ADVOCATES PUNISHING EVERYBODY WHO COMMITTED VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALISTS ON ELECTION DAY

arminfo
2008-02-22 15:55:00

ArmInfo. The international organization "Reporters without Borders"
advocates punishing everybody who committed violence against
journalists on the presidential election day in Armenia. The Armenian
authorities should treat such incidents with responsibility, the
journalists were just doing their work, a statement at
says.

To recall, on the presidential election day, pressman of Hayk newspaper
Samvel Avakyan, cameraman of "A1+" TV channel Hovsep Hovsepyan and
correspondent of Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper Lusine Barseghyan were
beaten when carrying out their professional duty.

"KOSOVO AND ARTSAKH HAVE DIFFERENT HISTORICAL PAST," LEVON MELIK-SHAHNAZARIAN BELIEVES.

Noyan Tapan
Feb 22, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The historical part of Kosovo,
having no parallel with the Karabakh problem, is much more like the
history of Nakhijevan, when strong states decided to artificially
join territories to the country, they found fit for. This point of
view was expressed by internationalist Levon Melik-Shahnazarian
at the press conference held on February 22. According to him,
Armenia should not recognize the independence of Kosovo, as that
will mean "to fish the recognition of the independence of Artsakh
in troubled waters." In the words of Levon Melik-Shahnazarian, the
self-determination of Kosovo contradicts the historical ethics, that
independence was obtained through unfair ways and can be considered
as a manifestation of separatism.

"Listening to the explanations of the representatives of the 15 states,
which have recognized the independence of Kosovo, I understood that
the world is not led by laws: states make decisions taking into
consideration their own interests," the internationalist said. He
quoted the words of the representative of France, according to
which Kosovo should be independent of Serbia, as the peoples of the
two countries are bearers of different cultures and as under the
tenure of former President of Serbia Slobodan Miloshevich people
suffered privations in Kosovo. These two grounds, according to Levon
Melik-Shahnazarian, are very peculiar to the Karabakh conflict. "If
after all this the world does not recognize the independence of
Artsakh, that will be an immorality," he said.

WILL THEY PUNISH THE RIGGERS?

A1+
21 February, 2008

Edward Sharmazanov, press speaker of Serge Sargsyan’s pre-election
headquarter, explained the re-counting of ballot papers at some
election districts by the fact that they had discovered some cases of
riggings. "A legal process of revision of election results has begun
in Armenia. Some candidates have doubts about the tabulation of the
election results and demand re-counting".

"Serge Sargsyan’s headquarter condemns all cases when the members
of election commissions have distorted the results of voter’s free
will, no matter on favour of which candidate the riggings were
carried out. Our candidate Serge Sargsyan has declared that they are
interested in the organization of regular election process, thus all
riggers will be punished within the frameworks of the law".

The information is disseminates by the press secretariat of Serge
Sargsyan’s pre-election headquarter.

COURT OF APPEAL FINALLY CONFIRMED THE RIGHTS OF "VIMPELCOM" FOR BEELINE BRAND IN ARMENIA

Mediamax
Feb 22, 2008

Yerevan, February 22 /Mediamax/. Court of Appeal finally confirmed
the rights of "VimpelCom" Company for "Beeline" brand in Armenia.

Mediamax reports referring RBC Daily newspaper that the leading
Public Relations Manager of "VimpelCom" Artem Minayev stated that in
mid-January the Court of Appeal of Armenia turned down the complaint of
the Intellectual Property Agency concerning the issue of "VimpelCom"
right for "Beeline" brand, this decision is final and is not subject
to appeal.

"We are dealing with the issue of gaining the right for using "Beeline"
brand in Armenia in the category "Communication".

At present, we are in the process of receiving confirmation of
international registrations of our trade marks in the territory of
Armenia", Artem Minayev stated.

"The news is undoubtedly positive for "VimpelCom"", Director of
the Analytical Department of Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein Yuli
Matevosov believes.

""ArmenTel" brand had certain negative coloring – at the point
of purchase of the company, "VimpelCom" operator was losing
subscribers. The re-branding will help "VimpelCom" to get rid of the
given negative effect", the analyst believes.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ARMENIA WAS ADMINISTERED "MOSTLY IN LINE" WITH OSCE AND COE STANDARDS

armradio.am
20.02.2008 14:32

The joint International Observation Mission of the OSCE Office
for Democratic iInstitutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR),
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament stated at a press
conference in Yerevan today that the Presidential Election in Armenia
was administered "mostly in line" with OSCE and Council of Europe
commitments and standards.

RA Police publishes first data about violations registered during voting

2008-02-19 15:48:00

ArmInfo. RA Police has published the first data about the violations
registered during the voting. To note, the Police intends to report such
violations once every two hours.

The head of the department on public relations and information of RA Police,
Sayat Shirinyan, said at a press-conference that as of 3:00 pm, the Police
received a number of statements on violations. In particular, facts of
campaign in Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s favor were registered at polling stations
10-19 and 10-20 in Yerevan. "It has already been proved that Vardges
Sargsyan was campaigning. He was brought to the police department, materials
are currently being prepared", Shirinyan said. According to him, the
statement that "forms 9" (temporary documents allowing people to vote if the
latters lack passports) were distributed in front of Tashir trade center
have not been confirmed. A case of violence against Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
election agent Larisa Torosyan was recorded in Kotayk region. At about 9 am
Larisa Torosyan made a statement that three unknown young people entered
polling station 28/7, told her to go out, seated her in a "Jeep" and took
her to Abovyan’s suburb. Then one of the young men, some Edik Babayan, beat
Larisa Torosyan. At the same time, the young man advised the woman "not to
intervene into the commission’s work". Investigation is underway, medical
examination will be carried out. According to another statement, at about
10:30 am, 7-8 young men at the age of about 25-30, approached Yerjanik
Abgaryan, Gurgen and Hambardzum Yeghiazaryans near the entrance of polling
station 28/6 in Abovyan and told them to leave the polling station.
Receiving a negative reply, the young men headed by some Edo beat Abgaryan
and the Yeghiazaryans.

"The police tried to meet them and receive their statement, however, we
don’t know yet where they are", Shirinyan said. A statement was received
from Lori region, according to which the work of the election commission at
polling station 32/53 was hindered, investigation is underway. In Shirak
region, a citizen stated about bribery of voters at polling stations 35/28
and 35/29. This statement was not confirmed. A statement was received from
the village of Maralik, according to which Suren Avetisyan, an observer from
Gyumri, was beaten. He has been hospitalized, forensic medical examination
will be carried out, a criminal case has been instituted. An incident with
participation of APNM representative Samvel Gevorgyan took place in the
village of Vardazor, Gegharkunik region. A scuffle took place, Shirinyan
said. Another incident took place in Malatia-Sebastia community, however,
the police are not aware of the details yet.