Author: Jilavian Emma

NO PRECEDENT CAN BE APPLIED TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT, AZERI DEPUTY FM

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Feb 29 2008

Precedents on resolution of conflicts in the world cannot change the
situation around Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh,
Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Araz Azimov said.

The Deputy Minister added that Armenia itself must think of what it
wins and looses, and that observing this principle will not solve
the problem.

Azimov said Armenia would have to live under the threat of war with
Azerbaijan. "Resolution of the problem for a short period of time
corresponds, first of all, to the interests of the Armenian nation",
the Azeri diplomat stressed.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT INSISTS ON READINESS TO WORK WITH OPPOSITION

Azg
February 28, 2008
Armenia

Armenian Prime Minister and president-elect Serzh Sargsyan has insisted
that his calls for the country’s political forces to cooperate in
a future coalition government are serious. Answering questions from
MPs in parliament on 27 February, Sargsyan said that he had already
received offers of cooperation from various opposition forces. The
results of the 19 February presidential election are contested by
former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s supporters, who maintain it
was rigged in Sargsyan’s favour and demand a repeat election. The
following is an excerpt from Marietta Khachatryan’s report by Armenian
newspaper Azg on 28 February headlined "The opposition has already
responded to Serzh Sargsyan’s call for cooperation: Gagik Jhangiryan
is not a political figure for Serzh Sargsyan":

Journalists were waiting for the question and answer session between
the parliament and the government, since they had numerous questions
related to the post-election situation to put to the acting prime
minister [as received] and president elect [Serzh Sargsyan] after
the parliament session.

There were not any particularly heated questions and answers in the
hall before this, as MPs from the [ruling] Republican Party of Armenia
spoke about the necessity to extend the economic growth to Armenia’s
remote regions and about global agricultural programmes, MPs from the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun raised questions
related to various spheres, MPs from the Orinats Yerkir [Law-Governed
Country] Party were not present, and only two MPs from the [opposition
faction] Heritage asked questions related to the situation.

Before this Parliament Speaker Tigran Torosyan congratulated Serzh
Sargsyan on his victory in the presidential election, as these four
days are the first session after the Central Electoral Commission
announced the final results of the election [on 24 February], and
voiced hope for fruitful cooperation between the parliament and
the president.

[Passage omitted: Sargsyan presented with flowers]

Asked by Anahit Bakhshyan from Heritage what actions are being taken
in line with Sargsyan’s call on political forces and civic groups
to cooperate yesterday [26 February], Sargsyan said that he said
in his speech yesterday what kind of cooperation he was proposing –
right up to establishing a coalition government. He did not go into
more details: "I do not think that parliament is the platform where
details should be discussed. Those who are ready for cooperation are
welcome, we will put it into the practical plane and will start to
discuss it in practice."

Bakhshyan tried to clarify whether what is at issue is a mere call
or some specific step. "Ms Bakhshyan, I never gave anyone occasion to
think that I engaged in trickery," the prime minister said. "There have
already been reactions from the opposition concerning cooperation. We
are already working starting from today. If you react as well, we
will be pleased to work with you as well."

Later, while responding to a question from one of the journalists, the
prime minister said that both presidential candidates and forces not
represented in the parliament have reacted to the call for cooperation.

Another question was asked by Armen Martirosyan, also of Heritage.

Referring to an act of violence against MPs during the presidential
election, and what he referred to as "political persecution and
arrests of several figures, citizens and students", and noting that
there are many people who own arms nowadays, but the law is applied
selectively in regard to them, [Martirosyan] asked whether the law
applies equally to everyone.

Sargsyan agreed with the MP that very big efforts should be made to
eliminate the legal illiteracy of officials and MPs, which is a big
problem, and called upon MPs to take part in this works. He said that
he does not understand the division between an MP, a public figure and
a citizen of the Republic of Armenia. "All citizens of the Republic of
Armenia are equal for me. Illegal arms are illegal arms – whether they
belong to an MP, a political figure, a member of the [paramilitary]
Yerkrapah Union of Volunteers, or an ordinary citizen.

Illegal arms have always been confiscated, and now [confiscation]
is growing in scale, and I promise you that we must totally eliminate
the availability of illegal arms in this country."

He promised to inquire into the case initiated on charges of using
violence against Zaruhi Postanjyan [Heritage Party MP], Armen
Martirosyan and Vardan Khachatryan, and advised the MP to deliver
his ("populist", as suggested by the Republican Party of Armenia’s
benches in the hall) speech in the appropriate place. Speaking of the
arrest of political figures, Sargsyan said: "For me, Gagik Jhangiryan
[former deputy prosecutor-general, sacked after voicing support for
Ter-Petrosyan] is not a political figure. If he is a political figure
for you, then you as a young political figure should be inspired by
such examples."

Approaching Sargsyan after the microphone was switched off and he had
descended form the tribune, Martirosyan maybe told him which political
figures inspire him and pointed in the direction of Raffi Hovhannisyan
[the leader of the Heritage Party], who was present in the hall.

ECOLOGICAL EXHIBITION TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON MAR 14 TO APR 5

ARKA
Feb 28, 2008

YEREVAN, February 28. /ARKA/. The ecological exhibition "Become the
Voice of the Voiceless" is to be held in the Armenian Center for
Contemporary Experimental Art NPAK in Yerevan on March 14 – April 5.

"The exhibition is to arouse love and care toward flora and fauna
and to facilitate increasing the eco consciousness and inform about
the problems in the field of ecology," the Center for Contemporary
Experimental Art NPAK reported.

According to the report, photos, sculptures, video arts,
ecological films about primeval nature and its pollution, as well
as about deforestation and the mining industry will be showed at
the exhibition. A newly produced film about Teghut field is to be
displayed on the opening day.

A bicycle marathon, a rock concert, seminars and other events are
planned to be held during the festival.

"FEBRUARY 19 ELECTIONS ARE CULMINATION OF CRIMES ORGANIZED BY AUTHORITIES," MEMBERS OF ZHARANGUTIUN FACTION DECLARE

Noyan Tapan
Feb 26, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The February 19 presidential
elections are the culmination of the crimes organized by the
authorities, which has been implemented by rude and most serious system
violations. This statement was made by Armen Martirosian, a member of
the Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction of the National Assembly, at the
press conference, which was held on February 26. In his words, this
was a great stigma in this short period of the statehood of Armenia,
which will leave a deep wound on the further development.

In the words of Armen Martirosian, it is difficult for the political
forces, which consider as primary the European democratic values
and see the future of Armenia in the family of the European Union,
to explain to citizens why the European authoritative organizations
gave positive marks for the presidential elections. "In the
Russian Federation elections receive very serious marks by the same
organizations and this in case when such violations, as those happened
during the RA presidential elections, have not taken place there,"
he mentioned.

In the opinion of Zaruhi Postanjian, another member of the Zharangutiun
faction, the elections have been held by infringements of international
and numerous RA laws, for the prevention of which the RA Central
Electoral Commission took no step. According to him, in particular,
it was an infringement of law, when Aram Tamazian, the RA Deputy
Prosecutor General, Vova Gasparian, the Chief of the Military Police
of the RA Ministry of Defence, took part in the campaign of Prime
Minister Serge Sargsian. In the estimation of Zaruhi Postanjian,
the recalculation process has also proceeded with acts of violence
and violations. It was also mentioned that the recalculation as well
does not prove its value since as a result of the acts of violence,
the ballot-paper, which has appeared in the ballot-box cannot reflect
the real attitude of society towards any candidate.

The participants of the press conference also stated that all the
detentions having been made for the past few days are a result of
political pursuits.

BIA, Turkey
Feb. 26, 2008

An `Exam’ for Turkey’s Democracy: Hrant Dink and Malatya Trials

Yesterday there were hearings in the Hrant Dink and the Malatya
murder cases. Whether or not all the shady connections in the murders
will emerge will decide on the future of Turkey’s democracy.

Býa news centre
26-02-2008

Nilüfer ZENGÝN Emine ÖZCAN
On Monday morning (25 February), a group of around 500 people
gathered in Besiktas, central Istanbul, today in order to demand
justice in the Hrant Dink murder trial.

No real justice in sight
Journalist Hrant Dink, editor of the weekly Turkish-Armenian Agos
newspaper, was shot dead on 19 January 2007. His suspected gunman and
many other young men from nationalist circles in Trabzon on the Black
Sea are on trial, but it is widely held that the main protagonists in
the case are still missing.

There has been evidence of gross negligence on behalf of the Trabzon
police and the Istanbul police, but the investigation of many
officers has been obstructed, and the trials of junior officers in
Trabzon and Samsun have been kept separate from the main murder trial
in Istanbul.

At 11 am today (25 February), the protesters, who were carrying
placards saying `For Hrant, for Justice’, released a press statement,
read by singer Sevval Sam.

In Malatya case also lack of transparency
Sam pointed out that there was a hearing of the Malatya murders today
aswell. In Malatya, three Christian men were brutally murdered in
April 2006.
German Tilman Ekkehart Geske, as well as Turkish citizen Necati Aydin
and Ugur Yüksel were working for the Zirve Publications in Malatya.
They are assumed to have been killed by five young men with
ultranationalist connections, four of whom were caught at the crime
scene, and one of whom had jumped out of the window from the
building. Like in the Hrant Dink case, there have been murky
connections with nationalist circles and security forces, and
similarly, evidence has been tampered with.

Justice in these trials is "a question of honour"
Sam said, `These trials are a question of honour for our country.’

As well as calling for the Samsun, Trabzon and Istanbul trials to be
linked in the Hrant Dink case, Sam also said:

`Turkey’s future will be brightened with justice. It will be
brightened if Hrant’s murderers, those instigating the murder and
those protecting them are punished in an exemplatory manner. It will
be brightened if the number of people demanding justice increases and
if authorities listen to their voices.’

Malatya court refused access to documents and recording of hearings
At the third hearing in the Malatya murder trial, the joint attorneys
complained that they had, illegally, been refused access to documents
in safekeeping at the court. In addition, their demand for a
recording of the court hearings had been refused thrice. When the
Istanbul court decided to record the Hrant Dink murder case hearings,
they again applied for the same procedure to be applied in Malatya,
but the court refused again. The lawyers have thus demanded a change
of judge.

The lawyers have also demanded that a bulk of information on
Christians and Christianity as well as personal information on the
murder victims be removed from the files, but this request has been
refused. The joint attorneys had previously argued that the
prosecution had displayed more interest in accusing the men of being
missionaries than investigating the murder suspects.

The hearing was postponed to 17 March and the case file will be sent
to the Diyarbakir Heavy Penal Court for examination. (EZÖ/NZ/TK/AG)

ARMY NOT TO INTERFERE IN INTERNAL POLITICAL PROBLEMS
Gevorg Haroutyunyan

Hayots Ashkhar
Saturday 23 February 2008

Interview with Colonel-General SEYRAN OHANYAN, First Deputy Defense
Minister and Head of the General Headquarters of the RA Armed Forces

"Mr. Colonel-General, L. Ter-Petrosyan is spreading rumors that their
team receives support by Deputy Defense Ministers Manvel Grigoryan
and Gourgen Melkonyan. Do such rumors correspond to the reality?"

"This false allegation was imparted to the participants of the protest
rally two days ago, in the form of a complaint. It was a surprise
to us, and we were really astonished because we didn’t imagine that
it was possible to convey this kind of distorted truth to the people
who believe and trust you.

We categorically refute all kinds of provocations as though one of
the Generals or Deputy Ministers of the Armed Forces of Armenia has,
in some way, expressed support to L. Ter-Petrosyan. Neither Deputy
Minister Manvel Grigoryan, Head of the Administration of "Yerkrapah"
Volunteers’ Union, nor Lieutenant-General Gourgen (Gagik) Melkonyan
and nor even me have ever made any statement of the kind either in
written or oral form.

Rumors are also being spread around "Yerkrapah" Volunteers’ Union. As
a member of the Administration of the Union, yesterday I visited there
to know in person what moods really prevail among the "Yerkrapah"
members. "Yerkrapah" (Defender of Land) Volunteers’ Union is not a
political organization. Its members are also citizens of Armenia and
have a full right to freely express their will.

However, I assure you that as individuals having a sense of
responsibility for the country’s security, the overwhelming majority of
"Yerkrapah" members support Serge Sargsyan.

At the same time, it is also necessary to take into consideration
the fact that many of the "Yerkrapah" members are representatives of
other parties and have, naturally, voted in favor of their candidate.

The election of President is an extremely important and decisive
political event. The Army is also involved in this process by way
of participating in the voting. Each soldier is also a citizen of
Armenia and has his political attitudes and viewpoints. Anyway, there
has been no necessity to discuss the participation of the leaders of
the Army and the Armed Forces in post-electoral processes.

The Army stands firmly in its positions; it realizes its tasks
perfectly well and, under the leadership of the Commander-in Chief,
it carries out all the functions of the guarantor of defense and
security. Under the leadership of the Minister of Defense, all the
Deputy Ministers and Army Commanders perform their tasks in accordance
with the instructions of the Commander-in Chief, and refrain from
political participation in post-electoral processes.

"Mr. Colonel-General, as one of the figures responsible for Armenia’s
defense and security, don’t you consider the internal political
tension of the post-electoral period dangerous for the state?"

"That Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan has received more than half of the
votes and been elected as the country’s President is a fact. There is,
of course, reliable information on electoral wrongdoings as well.

However, their general quantity is not enough to influence the
outcome of the elections or create sufficient grounds for questioning
them. Moreover.

Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan, the winning candidate, has confirmed
his decisiveness to find out all the electoral wrongdoings and punish
all those who are culpable, in a manner prescribed by law.

The candidate who has received 21 percent of votes is trying to
speculate this factor and gather all his proponents in the square. And
what will happen if the winning candidate calls on all his favorers
(whose number is three times more) to protect their votes. This will
split our people into two conflicting parties.

Whereas the winning candidate was calling for consolidation during the
whole campaign. After all, why don’t they consider the assessments of
the international observation mission? They are the highest assessments
made on any election ever held in our country.

The post-electoral protest rallies, which have been taking place for
already three days, have not yet been prevented or restricted by the
law enforcement agencies. However, it is obvious that they contain
a real resource for a provocation and create a material danger to
the country’s security. Besides, gathering in "Azatoutyun" Square,
they simply voice threats in the address of the leaders of the state,
the people responsible for this or that wing of the authority and
the Heads of separate subdivisions.

The speeches of these pro-Opposition activists are constructed
on the bases of obvious lie, rude and vulgar expressions and
blackmail. Clearly, such atmosphere is fraught with clashes which, once
unleashed, will destabilize the internal political situation. This will
also result in an undesirable tension on the borders of our country,
influence on the mental state of an Armenian soldier protecting
the Armenian borders. Particularly, unpredictable complications may
arise in the frontier zones of Artsakh, where we are solving a lot
of problems, as it is."

"Mr. Ohanyan, is it possible for the ex-President not to realize the
danger of such threats?"

"I believe any individual striving for power and aspiring to obtain
the people’s trust, any presidential candidate, must first of all be
polite and never pick on his rivals. Such conduct may always pose a
threat to our country’s security and harm its international reputation.

Fortunately, we haven’t so far recorded any extraordinary incident
in any frontier zone. At the same time, we have reliable information
that our neighbors have given their soldiers and border guards an
instruction to be much more alert.

The Army does not, of course, interfere in internal political
problems; however, it directly incurs all the consequences of the
ill manifestations arising inside the country. I assure you that the
Army will never have to use force against its own people, because the
internal affairs and security agencies have quite enough potential
and will carry out all the functions vested in them. These forces
are enough for neutralizing the possible provocations and observing
law and order in the country.

I am sure that the country’s President must never divide the population
into his own people and rivals. The leader of the state must be the
President of each citizen. I also consider that it is very important
for the President to realize the whole responsibility of being the
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces."

EMPLOYEES OF RA NSS SEARCH HEAD OFFICE OF "NEW TIMES" PARTY

Noyan Tapan
Feb 25, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Early in the morning of February 25,
some employees of the RA National Security Service (NSS) searched the
head office of "New Times" party (NTP), seizing and taking way the
computers. NT was informed by the party’s press service that after
a few hours of search, the NSS employees failed to find any document
to confirm their suspicions.

The armed and masked members of the RA NSS "Alpha" unit arrested
the chairman of the NTP Aram Karapetian on February 24. According
to the press release, the report, which was written up by the
chief investigator of the RA NSS Investigation Department Colonel
M. Marukian, reads: "Aram Karapetian is suspected of false information
about a crime, which was combined by accusing the Armenian president
Robert Kocharian and the prime minister Serge Sargsian of especially
grave crimes: high treason and organization of a terrorist act".

According to the NTP press service, on February 12 the NTP chairman
released his second compact disc, in which he in particular addressed
the authorities’ plan published in the Armenian press, according
to which Meghri was to be handed over to Azerbaijan, as well as the
information that it is possible that there is a link between this plan
to hand over Meghri and the act of terror committed on October 27,
1999. It is indicated that A. Karapetian expressed his concern about
this problem in his letters to the National Assembly speaker Tigran
Torosian, the RA prosecutor general Aghvan Hovsepian and the director
of the RA NSS Gorik Hakobian.

The protocol on arrest also contains a statement of A. Karapetian,
according to which the NTP chairman has no relation to the action he
is accused of because his action was not false denunciation.

CEC DECLARES SERZH SARKISIAN PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
Feb 25, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, ARMENPRESS: On Sunday afternoon Armenia’s
Central Election Commission (CEC) declared officially prime minister
Serzh Sarkisian as the winner of the February 19 presidential election.

The statement was made after CEC summarized the outcome of vote
recounting in several polling stations, as was demanded by some
opposition candidates.

CEC chairman, Garegin Azarian, said prime minister Serzh Sarkisian
received a total pf 862,369 votes or 52.82%.

His nearest rivals, Armenia’s first president Levon-Ter-Petrosian
and ex-parliamentary speaker Arthur Baghdasarian received 21.5%
(351,222 votes) and 17.7% (272,427 votes), respectively.

Six other candidates gained less than 10% of the votes, the Central
Election Commission said.

A total of 1.67 million people took part in the country’s elections,
with voter turnout of almost 70%.

The International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) said in its
preliminary statement that the presidential election was conducted
mostly in line with the country’s international commitments,
adding however, that further improvements are necessary to address
such remaining challenges as the lack of public confidence in the
electoral process and the absence of a clear separation between state
and party functions."

The president-elect will be inaugurated on April 9, the day when the
office of incumbent president Robert Kocharian ends.

Today, Azerbaijan
Feb. 25, 2008

Khazar Ibragim: "The processes ongoing in Armenia is its internal
problem"

25 February 2008 [16:41] – Today.Az

"Azerbaijan never interferes with the internal problems of other
country and we consider that processes currently ongoing in Armenia
is the internal problem of this country.

We just hope that the situation in Armenia will not affect the
negotiation process on the resolution of Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh".

The due announcement was made by Khazar Ibragim, spokesman for
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, commenting on the announcement of
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan, according to whom
Azerbaijan tries to speculate with the internal situation of Armenia.

Today, Azerbaijan
Feb. 22, 2008

Shavarsh Kocharyan: "Armenia should take a single position on Nagorno
Karabakh"

22 February 2008 [17:57] – Today.Az

Armenia should occupy a single position on Nagorno Karabakh.

The due statement was made by the leader of Armenian National
Democratic Party Shavarsh Kocharyan at a press conference on Friday.

"Kosovo’s self-declaration could be expected long ago and in this
process Armenia and "Nagorno Karabakh Republic" are interested
sides", Kocharyan noted. He said the issue was not paid due
attention in Armenia.

"Levon Ter-Petrosyan has gained many votes at presidential elections
and those, for him it is profitable, will set this fact not for
voting against working powers, but for a split in the Armenian
society on the Karabakh issue", Kocharyan announced.

He said people, who voted for ex-president will be assessed as
citizens who voted for softening Armenia’s position on the Karabakh
issue.

"This weakens our position. Considering the Kosovo process, it can be
said that this is a very serious problem, We should now take a more
reasonable and thoroughly analyzed position, considering possible
unilateral separation of Kosovo", Kocharyan noted.

At the same time he noted that Azerbaijan is now in a difficult
state, as it would like to have good relations with the Moslem states
on one hand, including Kosovo, but it understanding that Kosovo is a
precedent for Nagorno Karabakh.

/Novosti-Armenia/

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