Author: Kajoyan Gevork

AZERBAIJAN, RUSSIA TO AGREE ON GABALA RADAR STATIONSOON

TODAY.AZ
09 April 2012

Azerbaijan and Russia have managed to remove many differences on the
Gabala radar station. An agreement will soon be reached to extend
Russia’s lease of the station, head of the Federation Council of the
Russian Federation, Valentina Matvienko, who is on an official visit
to Azerbaijan, said.

“Several rounds of negotiations have been held between the defence
and foreign ministries of both countries,” Matvienko said at a press
conference in Baku. “A normal negotiating process is underway and
many differences have been removed. Although several issues have to
be resolved, a mutually acceptable solution should soon be found. So,
I think that an agreement will be reached.”

The Gabala radar station located in north-west Azerbaijan was built
during the Soviet era as one of the most important elements of the
USSR’s missile defence system. After Azerbaijan gained independence
the radar station become the country’s property, although Russia
continued to use it.

Previously, the Defence Ministry reported holding negotiations with
Azerbaijan to extend the lease until 2025. The term of the lease
agreement and exploitation conditions of this facility expires in
December, 2012.

Earlier, General Director of Academician A.L. Mints Radio Engineering
Institute Vladimir Savchenko talking to RIA Novosti said that Russia
plans to complete the construction of a new radar station Voronezh-VP
in Gabala, Azerbaijan in 2019.

According to Savchenko, this new station will replace the older Daryal
a radar station.

ARF-D UNVEILS ELECTION PLATFORM

Tert.am
09.04.12

On the first day of its parliament race, the opposition Armenian
Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun (ARF-D) introduced its election
program proposes 147 steps.

Speaking at the party’s meeting on Monday, a former minister social
affairs, Aghvan Vardanyan, said they are not going to stage special
shows to open their campaign, but instead – advance ideas likely to
win success.

A former minister of agriculture, David Lokyan said the first clause
in ARF-D’s election platform calls for a centrist approach by the
state and citizens. As for foreign policy priorities, the party seeks
to develop the general principles of the Armenia-EU cooperation,
maintaining maximum good relations with the CIS countries.

The program, according to him, will focus on social issues, covering
two aspects -intensive growth of the gross domestic product and a
targeted distribution of welfare.

“Development should be mainly directed at export, ensuring global
changes and opening of banks,” he said.

Lokyan further spoke of the situation in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh),
Javakhk and several colonies in the Diaspora.

According to Arsen Hambardzumyan, also a former a minister of social
affairs, the social clauses in ARF-D’s program are aimed at increasing
salaries and promoting employment opportunities, as well as enhancing
the Armenia’s demography and eradicating poverty.

Hambardzumyan promised that the proposed changes will increase the
country’s population by 50,000, ensuring a higher amount of benefits
for every other child born to a family.

Ara Nranyan of the ARF-D faction in parliament addressed the provisions
on developing small and medium-size businesses, noting that the party
has so far been the only political force committed to fulfilling its
pre-election pledges.

“The ARF-D has been more committed than the ruling political force,”
he said.

NOMINEE WAS BEATEN UP AND FORCED WITHDRAWAL

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 10:23:47 – 09/04/2012

On April 7, Meruzhan Mkhoyan running for parliament in constituency
21 withdrew from race.

According to a reliable source, the OSCE observers met with him. In
this meeting, Mkhoyan confirmed his withdrawal from the race, noting
that he had been forced to.

Brothers Meruzhan and Mushegh Mkoyan were taken to Armavir hospital
because they had been beaten up earlier, as witnesses say, by the
people of Member of Parliament Nahapet Gevorgyan.

On April 6 Samson Poghosyan released on probation and Nahapet
Gevorgyan’s son had a scuffle with Meruzhan Mkhoyan.

MICHAEL MALOOF: RUSSIA MODERNIZING BASE IN ARMENIA

Panorama.am
09/04/2012

Russia is moving more troops and modernizing its base in Armenia in
anticipation of the whole crisis in the Middle East from Syria to
Iran, Michael Maloof, a former Pentagon official from Washington,
said in an interview with Press TV commenting on potential risks for
the Russian security to be caused by Syrian crisis.

“It’s making Moscow increasingly uneasy in terms of instability in the
region of what Syria is just one aspect of a larger problem that the
Moscow has now seen. For example, Russia is moving more troops and
modernizing its base in Armenia in anticipation of the whole crisis
in the Middle East from Syria to Iran,” said Mr. Maloof.

Michael Maloof said Russia has some major military assets in Syria
itself that they’ll probably come in the play if the opposition
continues to bombard.

RUSSIAN ARMENIAN BUSINESSMAN, WHO DEFENDED FAMILY WITH KNIFE, COULD BE CHARGED

news.am
April 09, 2012 | 10:52

In actual fact, the Russian Armenian businessman Gagik Sargsyan
exceeded the limits of self-defense by stabbing the three criminals
who had attacked his family. Tula Oblast (administrative territorial
division) Investigation Committee Chairwoman Tatiana Sergeyeva on
Monday told news reporters that this is proven by the nature of the
stab wounds.

“The nature of the stab wounds give grounds to assume that this,
in all probability, was beyond the limits of self-defense,” she noted.

And earlier, Internal Affairs Ministry’s Regional Department Acting
Chief Andrey Mishagyn had informed that the attack could be linked
with problems between the businessman and one of his relatives.

Sergeyeva noted that the attackers are identified, that they are
Russians and Georgians, and they all were formerly convicted.

She also informed that the Mazda 3, with which the criminals had
arrived, was found in the outskirts of the residential area, RIA
Novosti News Agency reports.

A criminal case is opened on charges of killing two or more persons.

The maximum sentence is life in prison.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the name of that Russian
Armenian businessman who fatally wounded the burglars who broke
into his home is announced. Tula Oblast resident Gagik Sargsyan, 52,
is currently at hospital, Moskovsky Komsomolets informs.

On the evening of April 7-when Sargsyan, his wife, daughter,
daughter-in-law, and four children were at home-four men beat
Sargsyan’s daughter-in-law, who had opened the door. Then attacking
on the others, they demanded money and precious items by threatening
them with a gun. They also carried a knife. But Sargsyan was able
to pick up a nearby knife and to fatally stab three of the burglars,
whereas the fourth escaped.

Sargsyan, himself, received a heavy blow to his head and is currently
at hospital.

Two of the three killed burglars were the unemployed and previously
convicted Kevlishvili (born in 1968) and Rozhdestvensky (born in
1971). The third is yet unidentified.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL’S CRIMINALIZATION IN SLOVAKIA WORRIES TURKEY

news.am
April 09, 2012 | 10:20

Turkey is extremely disturbed over Slovakian Supreme Court Chairman
tefan Harabin’s recent statement that if any Turkish official dares
to deny in Slovakia the fact of the Armenian Genocide, he/she will
be immediately sentenced to up to five years in prison.

The Turkish MFA is preparing to demand from the Slovakian MFA a
clarification for the aforesaid statement, Hurriyet daily of Turkey
informs.

It is noted that Slovakia’s Ambassador to Ankara will be summoned to
the Turkish MFA, and the diplomat will be given a protest note and a
formal demand to the Slovakian MFA to clarify the country’s Supreme
Court Chairman’s statement.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, tefan Harabin stated that he
places a huge importance to Slovakia’s Law on Criminalizing Armenian
Genocide’s Denial, and reaffirmed that if any Turkish official–or
anybody else–dare to deny in Slovakia the fact of the Armenian
Genocide, they will be immediately sentenced to up to five years
in prison.

ANCIENT INHABITATION BENEATH ARMENIA’S TATEV MONASTERY – NEWSPAPER

news.am
April 10, 2012 | 07:57

YEREVAN. – There is an ancient city in the area of Armenia’s
Tatev Monastery, under the earth. This city is not yet studied, and
archaeologists from Russia are planned to come to carry out studies,
Iravunk daily writes, referring to the information it has received.

“Senior specialist Boris Gasparyan of the [Armenian] Institute of
Archaeology said: ‘There is a dwelling place here, but no one has
excavated to understand what it is.

When a church is restored here, first its surroundings must be
excavated to reveal the economic life around it. And this is expensive
and demands a long time.

And with respect to inviting archaeologists from Russia, pursuant
to Armenia’s law this is possible solely in the case when this is
permitted by our archaeology commission; and our director is the vice
chairman of that commission, so if there were such thing, we would
have known.

No foreign expedition can carry out any activities in Armenia without
the Armenians’ participation,'” Iravunk writes.

ARMENIANS PRESENT EASTER EGGS, BREAD ROLL TO TURKISH MAYOR

news.am
April 10, 2012 | 10:01

The two Armenian employees of Turkey’s SivasCity Hall paid a visit
to the Mayor of Sivas in connection with Easter.

The City Hall workers Talin Aslanyan and Karin Durmazguler visited
Mayor Dogan Urgup and presented him Easter eggs and bread roll,
Haberler news agency of Turkey informs.

Urgup thanked the SivasCity Hall’s Armenian staff members for their
visit, and congratulated them on their Easter.

“Certainly, the Muslims and the Christians believe in the same God.

We, as Muslims, must be respectful of the followers of other religions
who live in the same geographical area. We live together for a thousand
years, and our destiny is the same,” the Mayor of Sivas said.

UN SOLDAT TUE PAR UNE EXPLOSION CRIMINELLE
Ara

armenews.com
mardi 10 avril 2012

ISTANBUL – Un soldat a ete tue et six blesses lundi par une explosion
au passage de leur vehicule dans le nord de la Turquie, ont affirme
des sources officielles denoncant un acte terroriste.

Les troupes, stationnees a Amasya, se rendaient au village de Cigdemlik
pour enqueter sur un vol lorsque leur vehicule a ete atteint par une
puissante deflagration, a declare le gouverneur d’Amasya Abdil Celil
Oz, cite par l’agence de presse Anatolie.

Un soldat a ete tue sur le coup et six autres ont ete hospitalises,
a-t-il ajoute.

“Des mesures de securite ont ete prises dans la region. Le necessaire
sera fait pour retrouver les auteurs de cette attaque traîtresse. Ces
fauteurs de terrorisme seront absolument punis”, a ajoute M. Oz.

Interroge sur la nature de l’explosion, le gouverneur n’a pas voulu
donner de details avant la fin des analyses des artificiers.

Il ne s’est pas exprime non plus sur les auteurs possibles de
l’attentat.

La chaîne publique TRT a evoque sur le site internet de socialisation
Twitter l’explosion d’une mine enfouie au bord de la route empruntee
par le vehicule.

Les rebelles kurdes du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK)
ont deja dans le passe mene des actions contre les forces de securite
dans le nord de la Turquie, loin de leur terrain d’action habituel,
le sud-est, peuple en majorite de Kurdes.

Des groupes armes d’extreme-gauche ont egalement ete actifs dans
cette region mais sont aujourd’hui largement decimes.

UN CANDIDAT AUX LEGISLATIVES RENONCE A SE PRESENTER A LA SUITE D’UNE AGRESSION
Ara

armenews.com
mardi 10 avril 2012

Un candidat independant aux prochaines legislatives s’est retire de
la course parlementaire après avoir ete blesse dans une agression. Sa
famille denonce son principal rival soutenu par le Parti republicain
du President Serge Sarkissian (HHK).

Les parents de Meruzhan Mkhoyan ont confirme lundi qu’il a retire
sa candidature a une circonscription uninominale situee dans le sud
de la region d’Armavir en raison de cette agression. ” Ils nous ont
sommer d’abandonner sinon ils allaient s’en prendre a nos enfants “,
a declare sa femme au service armenien de RFE/RL, en designant les
partisans de l’homme d’affaires Aleksan Petrossian, candidat du HHK.

Selon sa famille, Mkhoyan a ete enleve vendredi dans sa maison
d’Armavir et conduit a un cimetière situe a proximite. Cette exaction
a degenere en une bagarre generale après que des amis du candidat et
ses parents se soient precipites a son secours .

Les autorites policières ont jusqu’ici donne peu de details sur cet
evenement. Elles ont seulement indique vendredi après-midi que deux
jeunes hommes ont ete grièvement blesses dans la melee et qu’une
enquete criminelle est en cours. Lundi soir personne n’avait encore
ete arrete.

Une seule chose est verifiee : Mkhoyan et son cousin, Mushegh ont ete
admis a l’hôpital Armavir tard dans la soiree de vendredi. Selon les
medecins, le candidat a l’election souffre d’une commotion cerebrale.

Mkhoyan, qui n’est pas connu ses activites politiques, s’est retire
de la course le samedi. Selon la commission electorale de district
d’Armavir, il a donne aucune explication a son retrait.

Mkhoyan etait rentre chez lui lundi, mais a refuse de commenter
l’incident, laissant sa femme et d’autres parents repondre aux
questions des journalistes. Ce sont ses parents qui ont clairement
designe les partisans de Petrossian comme agresseurs, en expliquant
qu’ils voulaient le forcer a retirer sa candidature pour l’election
du 6 mai. Les soutiens politiques de Petrossian nient quant a eux
ces accusations.

La direction HHK a Erevan a egalement nie tout lien cet evenement. ”
Je ne pense pas que cela a ete fait en relation avec le Parti
republicain,” a declare Edouard Sharmazanov, porte-parole du HHK a RFE
/ RL service d ‘armenien (Azatutyun.am). “Mais si quelqu’un a enfreint
la loi de quelque facon que ce soit, il doit etre sevèrement puni,
independamment de son affiliation a un parti.”

“Chacun doit savoir que pour le Parti republicain l’objectif le plus
important est la conduite d’elections libres, justes et democratiques.”

Sharmazanov a ajoute que cet evenement ne doit pas remettre en
question l’engagement des autorites armeniennes a faire des elections
legislatives du 6 mai les plus democratiques de l’histoire du pays.

Les dirigeants des partis de l’opposition ne devraient pas manquer
de rejeter ces assurances. Ils avaient uni leurs forces en debut
d’annee pour exiger que les elections aient lieu sur la seule base
d’un scrutin de liste. Les candidats riches qui se presentent dans
des circonscriptions uninominales sont traditionnellement ete accuses
d’acheter les votes et de pratiquer l’intimidation.

La majorite HHK a l’Assemblee nationale avait repousse cette demande
de l’opposition. La grande majorite des 33 candidats presentes par
le parti du president Sarkissian dans ce type de circonscription
est constituee par des hommes d’affaires comme Petrossian, lies
au gouvernement. Ce dernier possède l’une des principales firmes
armeniennes de boissons alcoolisees.