NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA MEETS V. PUTIN, D. MEDVEDEV AND V. ZUBKOV IN MOSCOW
arminfo
2008-03-24 12:09:00
ArmInfo-RBC. Official part of the working visit of the newly elected
president of Armenia, incumbent Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, got
underway, Monday. S. Sargsyan is expected to meet with incumbent
president Vladimir Putin, the newly elected president Dmitry Medvedev
and Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov. A broad spectrum of issues of mutual
interest will be discussed.
ADOPTION OF UN RESOLUTION ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH IS GREAT DIPLOMATIC AND POLITICAL VICTORY: AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT
TREND Information
March 20 2008
Azerbaijan
The adoption of the Resolution on situation in the occupied territory
of Azerbaijan at the UN General Assembly is a great diplomatic and
political victory of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
stated on 20 March addressing the public during the Novruz festivities
in Baku.
The UN resolution, adopted on 14 March, expresses serious concerns
that armed conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and
around it continues posing threat to international peace and security
and negatively impacts on the humanitarian situation in the South
Caucasus countries. The General Assembly calls on the member-countries
to respect and support the sovereignty and territorial integrity within
the framework of internationally recognized borders. The resolution
confirms the inseparable right of population, driven out from the
occupied territory of Azerbaijan, for repatriation and underlines
the necessity of establishing conditions for their repatriation,
including comprehensive rehabilitation of areas suffered as a result
of the conflict.
President Aliyev stated that in accordance with the resolution the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be solved within the framework of
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The adoption of this document
by UN will consolidate Azerbaijan’s position on this issue. Aliyev
stated that Azerbaijan will never recognize the independence of
Nagorno-Karabakh.
The President said that Azerbaijan remains in war conditions and war
is still continuing. The ceasefire regime is in force. Major part of
state expenses is directed at military sector.
Addressing the public President Aliyev said that foreign and interior
policy pursued by Azerbaijan corresponds to national interests and
voiced his confidence that Azerbaijan will become a strong modern
state.
He said that Azerbaijan was attentively observing over the developments
in the neighboring countries, which testify that disorders and
disagreements among citizens result from absence of political and
economic stability.
He said that work done in the center of Azerbaijani capital on
condition of reserving historical values will make Baku one of the
beautiful cities of the world. Furthermore, new museums and theaters
will open in the capital city.
CHESCO MAN KILLED IN IRAQ DREAMED OF PEACE
By Nancy Petersen
The Philadelphia Inquirer
March 19, 2008 Wednesday
Albert A. Haroutounian, a 36-year-old civilian from Havertown who
was killed in Iraq while working as a translator for the Army, was
buried yesterday in the western Chester County town of Honey Brook.
Behind the funeral home where the service was being held, an Amish
man plowed his field with a team of six horses, a fitting counterpoint
for a man who, as his Web site says, dreamed of world peace.
The site says Haroutounian’s "greatest message to the entire world
would be to simply live in happiness."
Haroutounian was working in Iraq with Trinity Inc., a small company
that employs translators across the globe. His dream was to make enough
money to open a pizza shop in Delaware County, said a person close
to the family. Haroutounian’s family declined requests for interviews.
"He received an offer from that company, and he was going for the
money," said Alfredo Canavati, owner of Alfredo’s Pizza in Havertown,
where Haroutounian once worked.
"He had a lot of ambition," Canavati said. "But he always liked to
help people who were struggling because he struggled. He told me that
he was basically trying to save the world."
Haroutounian’s dreams were shattered by a suicide bomber in Baghdad who
detonated his explosives about 30 feet away, according to Associated
Press reports. The blast on March 10 was the deadliest attack on
American forces in Baghdad in more than eight months, killing five
and injuring three soldiers.
According to his Web site, Haroutounian was born in Kuwait in 1971,
the grandson of immigrants from Armenia. Along with his father, he
and his three brothers immigrated to this country in 1985 shortly
after the death of their mother.
Fluent in Armenian, Arabic and English, Haroutounian was also an
author. In 2005, he published a romantic novel about time travel
titled The Clock Doc: An Essence of Time Mended Properly! The novel
is selling for $14.95 on Amazon.
"It was a very interesting book," said the graphic artist Levon
Derkrikorian, who met Haroutounian when he worked at Alfredo’s.
Derkrikorian said he was devastated to hear about Haroutounian’s death.
"You can always tell a good person," he said, "and there wasn’t a
bad bone in his entire being. He can only be remembered well."
Haroutounian’s Web site said he believed in a "world of no terror,
nor any wars, as he values the lives of all humankind."
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OFFERS ASSISTANCE TO INVESTIGATION INTO THE 1 MARCH EVENTS
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.03.2008 15:35 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Council of Europe Commissioner on Human Rights
Thomas Hammarberg calls on the Armenian government to lift emergency
measures, ensure media freedom and initiate an impartial investigation
into recent violent acts, the CoE press service reported.
"The State of Emergency should be lifted in Armenia and an independent,
impartial and transparent inquiry initiated to clarify what actually
happened during the confrontations in Yerevan between the police and
opposition demonstrators on 1 March", Thomas Hammarberg said after
a three-day visit to Armenia.
He held discussions with the President, the Prime Minister and
President-elect, the Foreign Minister, the Minister of Justice, the
Prosecutor General and the Head of Police. He also met the President of
the National Assembly, representatives of political parties including
those in opposition and had a separate meeting with former President
and presidential candidate Ter-Petrosyan.
Commissioner Hammarberg visited places of detention and interviewed
persons recently arrested.
Furthermore, he visited hospitals and met policemen and civilians
who had been injured during the violence on 1 March. He also met
with the National Human Rights Defender (ombudsman), defense lawyers,
representatives of the media, non-governmental organizations as well
as foreign diplomats and representatives of international and regional
organizations in Yerevan.
"The censorship which was introduced with the state of emergency has
contributed to rumors and anxiety among the population about what was
happening, at a time when measures to rebuild trust should have been
promoted. The fact that some pro-government media tended to demonize
the opposition while opposition papers were out of circulation did not
contribute to a constructive atmosphere", said Thomas Hammarberg. He
suggested that all limitations on the media and freedom of expression
now be lifted.
"Seven civilians and one policeman were killed and many others
were injured. There is a need to clarify what actually happened and
what provoked the outbreak of violence. The two sides describe the
events very differently and it is important, also in a human rights
perspective, to establish the basic facts. This can only be done
through a comprehensive inquiry which is independent, impartial and
transparent and perceived as credible by the whole population."
"Such an investigation should also aim at drawing lessons and giving
recommendations on how similar situations should be handled in
future. For instance, it seems clear that the Armenian police needs
more training in acceptable riot control measures, serious mistakes
were made."
"The establishment of an inquiry of this kind will not be easy in
the present polarized climate in Armenia.
The international community has expressed its willingness to
offer participation or other assistance to such a comprehensive
investigation into the 1 March events in order to contribute
experience, professionalism and credibility".
"Demonstrators who committed violent acts should be held accountable,
as should policemen who used excessive force. However, the arrests and
prosecutions should not target people for having merely been present
at the demonstrations or expressed anti-government opinions. The
Commissioner also calls for the release of all apprehended children
under 18 years in this connection.
It appears that some articles of the Criminal Code are interpreted
broadly by the prosecutors, banning in practice all strong criticism
and agitation against the government. This is not consistent with the
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms."
Commissioner Hammarberg also stressed the importance of preventing any
improper treatment of those arrested. There were cases after 1 March
when the detainees had difficulties to contact family members and to
have access to a lawyer. Also, the registration of their arrest was
not done in accordance with national rules in some instances.
The Commissioner was also told about cases of ill-treatment during
arrests and in a few cases during transport to the police station. He
welcomes the decision of the Prosecutor General to investigate ex
officio all acts of violence committed by police forces against
demonstrators and passing civilians on 1 March. The Commissioner
underlines the absolute importance of ensuring respect for agreed
safeguards against torture and ill-treatment as well as the procedural
rights of the accused.
The Commissioner welcomed the statement by the President that the
current human rights restrictions would be gradually reviewed and
lifted. He stressed the importance of now bringing the state of
emergency to an end.
ARMENIA’S PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES AMENDMENTS TO LAW "ON HOLDINGS RALLIES, MEETINGS, MARCHES, AND DEMONSTRATIONS"
Regnum
March 18 2008
Russia
Armenia’s parliament at an extraordinary session has started discussing
a bill amending the law "On holding meetings, rallies, marches, and
demonstrations." According to parliament speaker Tigran Torosyan, the
bill has been introduced by four parliamentary factions. Speaking as a
lead speaker, member of the ruling Republican Party Rafik Petrosyan
stated that the amendments are necessary in order to "learn the
lessons of the past." In his words, the recent events have shown that
"life is much richer than the legislation field."
The amendments, in particular, provide that a responsible body,
the mayor’s office, in particular, can decline a request to hold a
rally if it has reliable information on the public action’s aiming
to overthrow a constitutional order, inciting racial, national,
or religious hatred, propagating violence and war, or endangering
national security, public order, morality and health of the people, and
infringing on constitutional rights and freedoms of other individuals.
Another amendment provides that official findings of the police
and National Security Service can be sources of such reliable
information. The same agencies are supposed to have a right to decide
on annulment of such grounds. The amendments also provide that, in
cases when mass public actions transform into mass riots, leading to
deaths of people, a responsible agency can temporarily ban holding
mass public events, until all circumstances and persons involved in
the crimes are established.
The amendments also stipulate that a responsible agency examine a
request for holding a public event for 72 hours. Requests are to be
submitted 5 days prior to the date of holding a public event.
ARF Dashnaktsutiun faction member Vahan Hovannisyan has suggested that
part 2 (temporary ban to hold public events) is amended so that it
is applied not to everybody but to those who have already committed
crimes. The lead speaker argued that "this is done to ensure that
everyone has equal rights before the law."
Member of opposition Heritage faction Zaruyi Postanjan remarked that,
if police agencies and NSS do actually possess information on events’
aiming at overthrowing a constitutional order, they should not give
an official conclusion, based on which a responsible agency will
ban a public action, but initiate criminal proceedings, since these
actions fall under criminally prosecuted activity.
If passed, the bill will be enacted five days after its official
publication.
AZERI FOREIGN MINISTRY PRAISES COUNTRIES ABSTAINING IN UN VOTE ON KARABAKH
Day.Az
March 17 2008
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has said that 100 countries
demonstrated support for Azerbaijan’sterritorial integrity by
abstaining from a vote at the UN General Assembly on 14 March.
In an interview with Day.az website, Xazar Ibrahim said that those
who abstained did not give in to serious pressure by "some forces"
who were opposed to a draft resolution that called for Armenian
withdrawal fromAzerbaijan’s occupied territories.
"As you know, not only Armenia but also some other forces had exerted
serious pressure on those countries [whichabstained] to make them vote
against this resolution. However, those countries demonstrated their
position – theirrecognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity –
by not attending the vote at all. In doing so, they createdconditions
for the approval of the resolution," Ibrahim was quoted as saying.
Seven countries, including the USA, Russia and France, voted against
the Azerbaijani-drafted resolution, which theycalled an "unbalanced"
document.
KOCHARIAN DEFENDS CONTINUING MEDIA BLACKOUT
Radio Liberty
March 17 2008
Czech Republic
President Robert Kocharian defended through a spokesman on Monday
his administration’s continuing refusal to allow Armenia’s leading
independent and pro-opposition newspapers and online publications to
resume news reporting.
All of those media outlets suspended or were forced to suspend their
work as a result of a 20-day state of emergency imposed by Kocharian
during the March 1 clashes in Yerevan between riot police and thousands
of opposition supporters. In a decree signed on Thursday, Kocharian
said they can resume their work so long as they do not publish
"obviously false or destabilizing information."
Officers of the National Security Service (NSS) prevented the seven
national newspapers critical of the government from publishing the
next day after examining their content. The NSS also maintained
the blockage of the websites of at least three Armenian online news
services as well as RFE/RL’s Armenian service. Still, the authorities
did allow local radio stations to resume the retransmission of RFE/RL’s
Armenian-language news programs.
Victor Soghomonian, Kocharian’s press secretary, said all of the papers
in question sought to report "obviously false information" in their
Friday editions sent to the printers. Speaking at a news conference,
Soghomonian cited specific newspaper reports that accused the Armenian
authorities of underreporting the number of people killed on March 1,
described the arrested opposition activists as political prisoners and
said that many of them were mistreated in custody. He also faulted
the opposition daily "Haykakan Zhamanak" for trying to publish an
interview with Nikol Pashinian, its fugitive editor who played a major
part in the rallies organized by opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian.
Soghomonian further made clear that the authorities will continue
to block Internet users’ access to local online publications for
the duration of emergency rule. He argued that government monitoring
and censorship of their reports is much more difficult than that of
print media.
In a joint statement issued on Friday, the publications affected by
the severe restrictions brushed aside Kocharian’s Thursday decree
as a "wretched attempt to mislead the international community and
the Armenian public." A separate statement by the Yerevan Press Club
and seven other civic groups condemned the censorship as "illegal"
and demanded its complete abolition.
Boris Navasardian, the YPC chairman, argued on Monday that the
censorship was not formalized by any written presidential decree or
government directive and that NSS officers are enforcing it solely on
the basis of verbal orders from their superiors. He said that runs
counter to an article of the Armenian Criminal Code that makes it
a crime to obstruct journalists’ work.. "If the prosecutor’s office
considers itself a guardian of law, it must open a criminal case in
connection with that," he told RFE/RL.
Navasardian also said Armenia’s leading TV stations and other
pro-government media are only fanning post-election tensions in the
country with their "one-sided" coverage of the March 1 clashes and
the ensued developments. "Everyone must realize that the society
is not unanimous today," he said. "If there is no open debate, no
open exchange of information, those differing interpretations of the
situation will deepen. And that means political polarization will
deepen too."
PRESIDENT’S AND PRIME MINISTER’S OPINIONS NOT ALWAYS COINCIDE
Panorama.am
17:47 14/03/2008
"I will never give my resignation," answered the Prime Minister,
president elect Serzh Sargsyan to one of the citizens’ question in
a TV discussion held with some media representatives.
To another question Serzh Sargsyan answered that his and Robert
Kocharyan’s opinions not always coincide.
"I do know any two who hold the same views. Wherever I worked I had
my own opinion about my own activities.
And I should say that Robert Kocharyan never tried to dictate me his
opinions," said the Prime Minister and added that in many questions
their opinions coincide each other.
As for the possible dialogue with Levon Ter-Petrosyan he answered,
"I am never against to any dialogue, but the dialogue should have an
addressee. If Ter-Petrosyan keeps insisting on that he is a president
voted by 65%, if he does not accept the Constitutional Court decision,
and call me criminal or Tatar Mongol, then what you are talking about,
what dialogue can be held between us."
SERGE SARGSIAN PROMISES TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO INTEND TO DISCLOSE BRIBE-TAKERS
Noyan Tapan
March 14, 2008
YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. "In my opinion, over the past 10 months
the government has worked actively, we have registered a 13.7% economic
growth, succeeded in almost doubling the 2008 budget and solving social
problems, and we will continue this way," the RA prime minister Serge
Sargsian said when answering citizens’ questions on television on
March 13. According to him, as was repeatedly stated, there will be
personnel changes but they may not be an end in itself which would make
"many think that everything and everubody must be changed."
He said that all officials to commit crimes, all those to take bribes
will be punished. He denied that he has a list of 65 officials to
be dismissed from their jobs but he added that more officials may
actually be replaced as "Armenia is a small country, whereas the
number of officials is large."
In response to the question about prospects of restoring justice in the
country with respect to the possibility of "settling issues by means
of money" in courts, S. Sargsian stated that measures should be taken
in order to exclude such possibilities. "We, the authorities should
take measures, deepen the legislation and close all the loop-holes but
on the other hand it is impossible to fight corruption and bribery
without the assistance and active participation of citizens," he
pointed out. In his words, evidence is needed in order to convict a
person, it cannot be done by mere talks. "I promise everybody that if
there are alarm calls and people who intend to disclose bribe-takers,
they will always receive support."
The prime minister does not believe that the personnel policy has been
"shameful" in the past ten years. "In many cases there have been forced
appointments but no one can say whether we would have been now in a
worse or better state if there had not been forced appointments. In
any case, I will do everything so that the newly appointed ones will
not have a bad reputation in the society," he said.
Serge Sargsian has not yet made a final decision about whom he will
appoint prime minister. He promised that an event will be held after
formation of the government and then perhaps they will answer questions
about the government’s composition.
S. Sargsian denied the rumors about an agreement to appoint the son of
the leader of "National Unity" party Artashes Geghamian to the position
of head of the Meghri check-point. "I do not know if Geghamian has
a son whose speciality corresponds to this position. I know that he
has well-educated children which is not an obstacle to involving them
in state service but to speak about an agreement is pure nonsense,"
he said.
PREVENTION OF ANIMAL DISEASES IMPORTANT IN ARMENIA
ARKA
March 13, 2008
YEREVAN, March 13. /ARKA/. The RA Ministry of Agriculture attaches
importance to the prevention of infectious diseases among animals,
RA Minister of Agriculture David Lokyan stated at his meeting with
the representatives of the Armenian office of the US Department
of Agriculture and Food and Agriculture Organization Shon Karmody,
Galina Gringery and David Wardy.
The Minister thanked the American side for its willingness to render
technical assistance in brucellosis control sponsored by the FAO and
the Italian Government.
Lokyan expressed hope that the organizations will combine their
efforts to implement comprehensive measures under the program.
The FAO and USDA representatives expressed their satisfaction with
Armenia’s partners’ effective involvement in the program.
The sides also pointed out the advisability of implementing similar
programs of foot-and-mouth disease, tuberculosis and leucosis control
in the country in the near future.