Author: Kajoyan Gevork

DOES SEIRAN OHANYAN FEEL DANGER?

Lragir.am
Country – 14 October 2014, 21:52

“There is no case in any region on the earth where relative peace is
observed for so many years without the participation of third forces.

Despite the belligerent rhetoric of Azerbaijan, thanks to the
preparedness, morale, self-denial, defiance of our troops we can
maintain peace in both the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh,” said
the RA minister of defense Seiran Ohanyan at the French University
of Armenia.The Armenian army does not need a third force to ensure
security.

Seiran Ohanyan stated against the third force in the area of the
conflict earlier this year, during the summer developments in
Armenia and Artsakh. At that time stationing of “peacekeepers” in
the conflict area was being considered but the army’s actions made
the plan obsolete.

Is the issue again being considered if the minister repeated the army’s
stance? Azerbaijan has recently been active on the borders, having
signed a new plan of defense cooperation with Russia. At the same
time, CSTO leadership has set to “monitor” the situation at the state
borders of its member states. Besides, there are circles in Armenia
who have been lobbying the “stationing” of CSTO forces in Armenia.

Hence, the minister’s statement is hard to call the “next”. A
complicated military-political situation and a lot of trouble
is awaiting Armenia and Artsakh after membership to the Eurasian
Economic Union.

ZAKARYAN PRESENTS CORE OF KARABAKH PROBLEM TO BELGIAN MP

Tuesday,October 14

As part of the meeting of the Euronest PA Bureau, Chairman of the
Armenian parliament’s standing committee on foreign relations, head of
the Armenian delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly Artak
Zakaryan met today with the standing committee’s head of Belgian
Chamber of Representatives Dirk Van der Maelen, according to the
Armenian parliament’s standing committee on foreign relations.

The sides discussed the Karabakh conflict peaceful settlement process,
Armenia’s entry into the Eurasian Economic Union, and the regional
situation.

Artak Zakaryan underlined the role of the OSCE Minsk Group as the only
format for a Karabakh resolution as well as the importance of three
principles of international law – territorial integrity, peoples’
right to self-determination, and nonuse of force or threat of force.

He spoke about the Armenophobic policy of Azerbaijani leadership
and the attempts to change the format of the Karabakh settlement
process and unleash a new war. Zakaryan stressed Azerbaijani conduct’s
inadmissibility for Armenia.

In this connection the Belgian MP said that while being a member of
the Belgian delegation to the PACE, he has a negative opinion of the
abovementioned circumstance and the pro-Azerbaijani position of some
members of the Belgian delegation and the parliament of Belgium and
their inclination to Azerbaijani lobbying.

Dirk Van der Maelen added that many Belgian MPs are not familiar with
the facts and content of the Karabakh problem so they are guided by
the principle that maintaining Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity is
the only resolution to the problem.

Artak Zakaryan presented the core and history of the problem to Mr.

Maelen, expressing hope that the Belgian side will show support
by taking a more balanced approach to the Karabakh problem in the
context of the OSCE Minsk Group’s position and in line with the
EU’s standpoint.

Speaking about Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union, A.

Zakaryan said that this integration decision is conditioned mainly
by Armenia’s economic and security interests. He added that Armenia
was and remains a state committed to European values and is prepared
to continue cooperation with the EU in all the possible spheres.

Artak Zakaryan invited Dirk Van der Maelen to visit Armenia in April
2015 in order to attend the Armenian Genocide Centennial events.

ARMENIA’S DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS FRENCH UNIVERSITY IN ARMENIA

18:47 * 14.10.14

Armenia’s Minister of Defense visited on Tuesday the French University
in Armenia and had a meeting with the teaching staff and students.

Rector Jean-Jacques Montois welcomed Minister Ohanyan.

In his speech, Mr Ohanyan stressed the importance of patriotic
education.

“Since it is our ‘good luck’ that we have such neighbors, we have
to always hold a club in our hand. We gained victory in the Artsakh
war thanks to our unity. In conditions of war forced on us, serious
challenges, blockade and earthquake we were able to create an army,
which was able to accomplish the task set to it in cooperation with
the people,” the minister said.

Mr Ohanyan also stressed the need for a knowledge-based policy not
only in economy, but also in the army.

Armenia’s Ministry of Defense is implementing cooperation programs
with the French University in Armenia, which allow students to do
practical work at the Ministry of Defense. Those wishing can start
working in Armenia’s Armed Forces.

“The Armenian people’s military potential is one of our national
features. It is the knowledge of military science historically passed
on to us, from our forefathers,” the minister said.

Mr Ohanyan noted that this year has been a hard year.

“Each year, Armenia’s Armed Forces set themselves tasks and achieves
them by means of effective actions,” the minister said.

The priority is enduring high efficiency and good discipline, he added.

Armenian News – Tert.am

THE UNFINISHED BUILDING AND HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN’S HOTEL

10.14.2014 18:20 epress.am

The 83 homeowners of Amiryan 4/4 have been homeless for 10 years
and are unable to legally force the developers to speed up the
construction process because they have signed a “non-expiration”
contract with the Ministry of Finance. During the press conference,
one of the homeowners Vachagan Tadevosyan (pictured), said that the
“non-expiration” contract was signed due to the convincing of Finance
Minister Advisor Hayk Davtyan who persuaded confidently that the
“homes will be provided in 3 months.”

According to Vachagan Tatevosyan, he had space for a store, which
after giving it away he would receive a 70 square meters apartment in
the semi-constructed building. Similar deals have been sealed by 23
other property owners, while 60 people have bought apartments in the
semi-constructed building. The contracts have been sealed with the
presence of Yerevan Municipality representative Melik Gasparyan. The
latter has died, and his wife, Anahit Mnatsakanyan, who has taken
over his role is not answering the calls of the homeowners.

“She responds to our calls saying we should call Abrahamyan. She
means Hovik Abrahamyan (current Prime Minister), who likely owns the
whole building, because he also owns a hotel on the other side of the
building, and is currently running a car wash under our building. It’s
his building,” said Tadevosyan. In his words, it’s not a coincidence
that the windows installed in the building are only placed on the
outside part, in order “to not ruin the look of Abrahamyan’s new
hotel,” while from the yard’s side, there are no windows. There are
not even elevators installed from the yard’s side.

Construction workers have promised that the building will be handed
over in about 7 months.

Epress.am tried to get in contact with Anahit Mnatsakanyan, however,
the number Tadevosyan gave was a person who claimed that he owned the
number for 6 years and that he does not know “any Anahit Mnatsakanyan.”

DEFI DE LA PAUVRETE : UN VICE-MINISTRE INDIQUE QUE DES EMPLOIS ET DES SALAIRES PLUS ELEVES SONT LA CLE

ARMENIE

Le vice-ministre de l’economie Ara Petrosyan a declare que le problème
de la pauvrete en Armenie sera resolu par la baisse du chômage et
l’augmentation des salaires dans le meme temps, tout en affirmant
que s’appuyer sur les pensions sociales peut avoir un effet negatif.

Presentant la strategie de lutte contre les problèmes sociaux auxquels
le pays est confronte, Ara Petrosyan a mentionne que la direction
principale de la politique sur le terrain est d’eradiquer la pauvrete.

Selon les donnees du Service national de la statistique, en 2012, le
taux de pauvrete de l’Armenie etait de 32,4 pour cent, en d’autres
termes, un resident sur trois dans le pays est pauvre. Selon Ara
Petrosyan, la pauvrete a augmente en particulier après la crise
economique mondiale de 2008, et aujourd’hui, la plupart des gens sans
instruction et sans profession sont pauvres, cependant, il y a de la
pauvrete aussi parmi les travailleurs.

> a dit Ara Petrosyan ajoutant que 80 pour cent de ceux
qui emigrent d’Armenie sont a la recherche d’emplois.

Selon le vice-ministre, en particulier dans les provinces, il y a
très peu d’offres d’emploi et il existe une demande constante pour des
medecins, et a Erevan il y a une demande constante pour des artisans
avec de hautes qualifications.

> a declare Ara Petrossian.

Les experts sont preoccupes par le taux de chômage des jeunes, qui
a ete très fort au cours des dernières annees a hauteur de 23 a 24
pour cent.

Trente pour cent du budget de l’Etat est consacre aux programmes
d’aide lies a la pauvrete.

> a mentionne
Ara Petrosyan informant que le ministère met en oeuvre plus de 70
programmes qui touchent directement ou indirectement a l’eradication
de la pauvrete.

mercredi 15 octobre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

MINORITES : LE LANGAGE DE LA TURQUIE NOUVELLE EST UNE CONTINUATION DES EVENEMENTS DES 6 ET 7 SEPTEMBRE 1955

TURQUIE

Les representants de plusieurs groupes de minorites ont participe
samedi a une reunion en hommage aux victimes des evenements des 6-7
septembre 1955

Arslan Ayan

7 septembre 2014

Les representants de plusieurs minorites se sont reunis au sein d’un
comite de discussion commemorant des victimes d’attaques ayant vise
les citoyens grecs, armeniens et juifs de Turquie, les 6-7 septembre
1955, et denoncant dans le langage de la ” Nouvelle Turquie ” employe
par Recep Erdogan la continuation des politiques passees devastatrices
pour les minorites.

La reunion du comite de discussion qui s’est tenue au Ismael
Besicki Vakfi, dans le district de Beyoglu d’Istanbul, et a laquelle
ont participe de nombreux specialistes, avait pour but d’attirer
l’attention sur les evenements des 6-7 septembre et de reveler la
situation actuelle des communautes non-musulmanes de Turquie. Les
participants se sont accordes pour dire qu’une ” Nouvelle Turquie
” n’avait de sens que si les citoyens non-musulmans pouvaient jouir
des memes droits que ceux de la majorite musulmane.

Dans son discours, le journaliste Rudyan Akar a declare que les
evenements des 6-7 septembre etaient le resultat inevitable des
politiques des gouvernements turcs telles le Varlik Verlisi [Impôt sur
la Richesse] par lequel la richesse etait transferee des Non-Musulmans
aux Musulmans, les campagnes ” Vatandas Turkce Konus ” [ ” Citoyen,
parle le turc ” ], les deportations de 1964 ( environ 12 000 Grecs
n’ayant pas la citoyennete turque], tout comme l’intimidation de
minorites et les saisies violentes de propriete. C’est en raison
de cela que les populations des communautes anciennes d’Anatolie,
Armeniens, Juifs, Roms et Assyriens ont decline petit a petit.

Les membres de l’association Dire Non au Racisme et au Nationalisme
(Dur De) ont egalement fait une declaration au cours de la reunion
denoncant les evenements. ” En tant que militants de l’Association
Dire Non au Racisme et au Nationalisme, nous nous sommes reunis ici
aujourd’hui en commemoration des victimes des evenements des 6-7
septembre. Au cours des agressions contre les minorites, plus de 400
femmes non-musulmanes ont ete violees, 15 personnes ont ete tuees,
et plus de 300 personnes ont ete gravement blessees. Quatre mille
deux cent douze maisons, 1 004 bureaux, 73 eglises, une synagogue,
un monastère, 26 ecoles et 5 317 autres lieux tels des hôtels et des
bars, ont ete attaques a travers le pays. Parmi eux, 53 pourcent des
proprietes detruites appartenaient a des Grecs, 12 pourcent a des
Juifs et 17 pourcent a des Armeniens. Entre temps, les proprietes de
convertis et de quelques Musulmans de pays etrangers ont egalement ete
detruites au cours des emeutes. Les evenements ont considerablement
accelere l’emigration au sein des minorites, en Turquie et a
Istanbul en particulier. Le projet de creer une Anatolie homogène par
l’elimination des divers groupes ethniques avait ete poursuivi par les
gouvernements depuis 1913 pour la creation d’un etat-nation. Dans ce
cadre, les politiques d’assimilation, d’immigration et de population
etaient explicitement appliquees par l’etat turc. De ce point de
vue, les evenements des 6-7 septembre avaient envoye un message
fort aux minorites de Turquie, leur indiquant qu’une societe etait
en cours de creation, principalement composee de personnes pourvues
de l’identite turque et des caractères musulmans sunnites “, ont dit
les intervenants.

Selon les rapports officiels, les emeutes commencèrent dans la banlieue
Pangalti d’Istanbul, où se trouvaient des commerces reputes tels la
pâtisserie Haylayf, particulièrement frequentee par des citoyens
grecs. C’est a la pâtisserie Haylayf que l’emeute eclata a 7h de
l’après-midi le 6 septembre. De la, l’emeute se repandit a Istanbul
et dans tout le pays. Les evenements furent declenches par une fausse
nouvelle selon laquelle, a Salonique, la maison de Mustafa Kemal
Ataturk, le fondateur de la Republique turque, avait ete dynamitee
la veille. Selon les rapports turcs, 11 personnes non-musulmanes ont
ete tuees dans les emeutes, tandis que selon les sources grecques,
leur nombre est de 15. Officiellement, 30 personnes ont ete blessees
mais un nombre officieux fait etat de 300 blesses.

Critiquant egalement le President Erdogan pour ses remarques
offensantes envers les personnes d’ascendance georgienne et
armenienne, les militants ont affirme que l’attitude insultante
envers les Armeniens est un exemple de la continuation de la politique
devastatrice des gouvernements precedents envers les minorites, dont
les droits sont garantis par le Traite de Lausanne [signe entre la
Turquie et six autres etats a la suite de la Guerre d’independance
turque]. ” Malheureusement, meme aujourd’hui, cette perception
genocidaire de la Republique de Turquie se poursuit encore sans aucun
changement particulier “, a ajoute le militant.

Dans ses remarques televisees du 6 août, Erdogan a dit : ” Laissons
tous les Turcs dirent qu’ils sont turcs, et tous les Kurdes dire qu’ils
sont kurdes. Qu’est-ce que cela change ? Vous ne pouvez pas imaginer
ce qu’ils ont dit de moi. Ils ont dit que j’etais georgien…Ils
ont meme dit des choses encore plus laides – ils m’ont qualifie –
pardonnez-moi – d’armenien, mais je suis turc “.

Cette declaration, venant du president turc, s’excusant avant de
prononcer le mot ” armenien “, comme on s’excuse avant de prononcer
un gros mot, a provoque la colère non seulement des Armeniens mais
aussi d’autres minorites de Turquie.

Les membres de Dur-De commemorent les victimes des 6-7 septembre.

Une ceremonie a la memoire des victimes des evenements des 6-7
septembre 1955, une agression a grande echelle contre les populations
minoritaires vivant a Istanbul, a ete organisee par Dur De, dans la
fameuse rue d’Istiklal, près de la très animee Taksim ce samedi.

¨Prenant la parole au cours de cette reunion, Gonca Sahin, membre de
cette association, a dit a la presse que les minorites en Turquie ont
toujours subi des contraintes et des pratiques discriminatoires. ”
La Republique de Turquie doit demander pardon pour les evenements
des 6-7 septembre, et toutes les pratiques discriminatoires envers
les minorites doivent cesser “, a declare Sahin la presse.

Traduction Gilbert Beguian

mercredi 15 octobre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

“OUR TASK IS FOR ARMENIA TO LOOK TOWARDS THE WEST,” US AMBASSADOR ABOUT ARMENIA’S EEU MEMBERSHIP

10.15.2014 11:27 epress.am

US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern hopes that after Armenia joined
the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) it will display the political will
to continue its cooperation with the west. The ambassador spoke to
the daily Zhamanak about the issue.

“The United States believes that every country has to independently
manage its future when joining any international organization
or union. We think that Armenia made progress in its accession
negotiations with Moscow. I don’t know what conditions the negotiations
were conducted around. Our task is for Armenia to continue looking
toward the west. We offer Armenia economic, political, diplomatic,
as well as security cooperation. I believe that this is very important
for Armenia to welcome cooperation with the West.”

When asked if Armenia chose the right path, the ambassador replied,
“Every country makes decisions for themselves, it’s not me that has
to judge Armenia’s decision.”

ANCA-WR ANNOUNCES 2014 GENERAL ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS

Tuesday, October 14th, 2014

ANCA-WR 2014 endorsements

LOS ANGELES–The Armenian National Committee of America Western
Region announced its 2014 General Election endorsements, helping
Armenian Americans demonstrate their electoral strength to those
federal, state, and local candidates who have proven their ability
and intention to best serve the communities they will represent.

“It is our mission to continue to empower Armenian American voters
to cast informed votes at the ballot box on November 4,” remarked
ANCA-WR Chair, Nora Hovsepian. “These endorsements are largely based
on candidates’ responses to our questionnaires, detailed in-person
interviews, and our conclusion that the endorsed candidates are in the
best position and have shown the greatest commitment toward supporting
issues important to the Armenian American community.”

Armenian American voters across the United States are urged to exercise
their right to vote in the General Election on November 4th and lend
their support to the candidates who have been steadfast advocates of
the Armenian Cause. Many of the elections taking place are going to
be won by a very slim margin. It is imperative that every eligible
citizen cast his or her vote in this General Election. The ANCA-WR
seeks to maximize the value of each individual vote and launched
the Hye Votes initiative in 2012 toward that goal, registering
thousands of new voters and encouraging all voters to cast their
timely ballots. Today, its dedicated team of volunteers and coalition
partners are still working tirelessly to ensure high voter turnout
among the Armenian-American community.

The 2014 General Election will take place on November 4, 2014. In order
to vote, you must be registered. The ANCA-WR urges community members
who are U.S. citizens and over the age of 18 not yet registered to
vote, to register by the October 20, 2014 deadline. To register to
vote online, request a vote by mail ballot or obtain additional
information, contact ANCA WR Hye Votes office at (818) 806-8683,
or check visit

The ANCA WR’s list of endorsements include:

California Statewide Races Jerry Brown (D) Governor Gavin Newsom (D)
Lieutenant Governor Alex Padila (D) Secretary of State John Chiang
(D) State Treasurer Kamala Harris (D) Attorney General Betty Yee (D)
State Controller Tom Torlakson (D) Superintendent of Public Instruction

California State Senate Kevin De Leon (D – 22) Chinatown, Eagle Rock,
East Hollywood, East Los Angeles, Little Armenia Robert Hertzberg
(D – 18) Pacoima, Sylmar, Toluca Lake, Sherman Oaks, Sun Valley,
Van Nuys Tony Mendoza (D – 32) Downey, Montebello, Norwalk, Pico
Rivera Jose Solorio (D – 34) Anaheim, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove,
Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Santa Ana

California State Assembly Katcho Achadjian (R – 35) San Luis Obispo
Cheryl Brown (D – 47) Fontana, Rialto, San Bernardino Ian Calderon
(D – 57) Hacienda Heights, La Mirada, Whittier Matt Dababneh (D – 45)
Calabasas, Canoga Park, Encino, Northridge, Reseda, Woodland Hills
Steve Fox (D – 36) Lancaster, Palmdale Mike Gatto (D-43) Hollywood,
Glendale, Burbank, Silverlake Chris Holden (D – 41) Pasadena, San Dimas
Al Murasachi (D-66) Torrance Adrin Nazarian (D – 46) Hollywood Hills,
Panorama City, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Van Nuys Kristen Olsen
(R – 12) Stockton, Tracy Jim Patterson (R – 23) Fresno Scott Wilk
(R – 38) Santa Clara

Los Angeles County Races Bobby Shirver (D) LA County Supervisor-3
(Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Van Nuys) Hilda Solis (D)
for LA County Supervisor-1 (Downtown LA, Montebello, Pico Rivera) Jim
McDonnell for LA County Sheriff Jeffrey Prang for LA County Assessor

Arizona Statewide Endorsements Doug Ducey ( R ) for Governor Michele
Reagan ( R ) for Secretary of State

The ANCA federal level endorsements will be released in the coming
week. Endorsements are based primarily on ANCA Congressional
Report Cards, a detailed review of each incumbent’s record across a
broad range of Armenian American issues. Report Cards, prepared in
consultation with regional leaders and local ANCA chapters across the
country, cover issues ranging from securing justice for the Armenian
Genocide and the strengthening U.S.-Armenia relations to defending
Nagorno Karabakh’s independence, and increasing U.S. aid and trade
levels. Review the ANCA report cards.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COHERENT AND INCOHERENT FOREIGN POLICY

Azeri-Press news agency (APA), Azerbaijan
October 13, 2014 Monday

Political weight of Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Economic
Union and Customs Union without “NKR” will be heavier for Armenia
than it is supposed to be

Analysis. The Armenian leadership, issuing statements like “The
establishment of any customs checkpoint on the border with Nagorno
Karabakh is out of the question,” “We won’t abandon our interests in
NagornoKarabakh for anything”, quietly agreed to the terms of joining
the Eurasian Economic Union (EEC) and Customs Union. The most important
one of these terms for Azerbaijan was Armenia’s accession to this Union
without “NKR” and Yerevan’s conviction to establish customs checkpoints
on the border with “NKR”. These facts can be regarded as the biggest
successes of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy in 2014. Armenia fell in
this situation as a result of Azerbaijan’s successful foreign policy
basing on the development of bilateral relations with all countries.

Difficult economic conditions of Armenia’s accession to the EEC and
Customs Union are another issue. Armenia’s joining this union without
“NKR” is a political slap as Yerevan was convicted to establish customs
checkpoints on the border with “NKR”. Political weight of this step
will be heavier for Yerevan than it is supposed to be. Because:

a) Armenia joined the Customs Union within its internationally
recognized borders. It means that the Union members don’t recognize
NagornoKarabakh as part of Armenia once more.

b) Members of the Customs Union are the allies of Armenia within the
Collective Security Treaty Organization. The Union hit one of the cards
used in Armenia’s propaganda with de facto and de jure rejection of
Armenia’s claims over NagornoKarabakh. Armenia always uses a simplistic
propaganda thesis that “If Azerbaijan starts military operations
in NagornoKarabakh, CSTO will help us to eliminate threats to our
security”. However, the terms of Armenia’s accession to the Customs
Union undermines this thesis. If “NKR” isn’t recognized as Armenia’s
territory, Yerevan is demanded to establish customs checkpoints on the
border with “NKR”, what threat can the start of military operations in
NagornoKarabak, the internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan,
pose to Armenia’s security? Trying to prove the opposite, Armenia
will have to admit that it is an occupying country.

c) If checkpoints are established between Armenia and “NKR”, Moscow
will have extra pressure on Yerevan. In other words, for some time the
Kremlin will turn a blind eye to commercial and financial transactions
of Armenia with the socalled “NKR” and if Yerevan exceeds its limit,
Russia can raise the question of control over the activities of
the checkpoints.

This dire political situation of Armenia isn’t groundless, so this
situation has emerged as a result of two factors of foreign policy.

These factors have formed as a result of Armenia being deprived of
pursuing an independent foreign policy and Azerbaijan’s COHERENT
foreign policy. Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union without the
“Nagorno Karabakh Republic” and the condition that led to the actual
abandonment of the claims of “NKR” are the results of official Baku’s
policy with Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia based on mutual interests.

Azerbaijan has already managed to turn the tide in its favor by
developing the bilateral relations with the member states of the
Customs Union.

Today’s conditions in the name of the Customs Union dictate one issue
this union is an integration project regardless of its ultimate goal.

Kazakhstan and Belarus, gave up a part of their own interest for the
sake of common interests, are interested in a successful implementation
of the project. Therefore, a factor of disintegration can jeopardize
the future fate of the Customs Union (as well as the reputation of
the initiators of the union in the international community and in the
former Soviet Union). In addition, the Customs Union, unlike other
military and political blocs, is a practical union and any failure
in its activity will deal a heavy blow to the member states not only
in the political but in the economic point of view.

Therefore, Kazakhstan and Belarus always stress the importance of
eliminating the disintegration factors that can disrupt the functioning
mechanism of the Customs Union. Armenia has always been considered
a factor of disintegration in the former Soviet Union. And the only
reason that CIS, CSTO and other integration organizations haven’t
given the desired results is that Armenia does not comply with these
formats and despite the fact, it takes place in these formats as a
satellite or outpost “state”.

Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union is just the tip of the
iceberg, which includes the factors of rapid rise, deterioration of
living standards and acceleration of migration. There is no doubt
that these factors will disrupt the fragile stability in Armenia. All
conditions are paving the way for Armenia’s opposition to hold mass
protests regularly. Increase in the price of more than 1000 consumer
products since January 1 can cause more terrible effect than the
Spitak earthquake.

The processes happening over Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union
are of importance in terms of studying and applying political theory.

Despite all of these processes, balancing interests and even at the
expense of compromise, we can see how an independence and consistent
foreign policy will lead to success in the face of Azerbaijan or
theorists, analyzing recent processes, can see how Incoherent and
NonIndependent policy will lead to loss of independence in the face
of Armenia.

NEW OPPOSITION GROUP CRITICAL OF TER-PETROSIAN, TSARUKIAN

October 14, 2014

Azatutyun – Anew political group led by Nikol Pashinian, an outspoken
opposition figure, accused Armenian opposition heavyweights on
Monday of misleading the public with their ongoing anti-government
demonstrations, saying that they are not aimed at toppling President
Serzh Sarkisian.

Pashinian and senior members of his Civil Contract movement claimed
that former President Levon Ter-Petrosian and Prosperous Armenia Party
(BHK) leader Gagik Tsarukian are keen to cut power-sharing deals with
Sarkisian, rather than force him to step down or call snap elections.

Pashinian claimed that Ter-Petrosian for years fed his supporters
with false promises of impending fresh elections after the 2008
post-election government crackdown on his opposition movement. “As
you know, I was part of that process, and I admit my share of
responsibility for that,” he told a news conference. “I’m sorry,
but repeating the same thing is not right, to say the least.”

Pashinian, 38, was a key backer of Ter-Petrosian’s 2008 bid to return
to power by scuttling a handover of power from outgoing President
Robert Kocharian to Sarkisian in a disputed presidential election.

Like dozens of other oppositionists, the former newspaper editor
went into hiding following a deadly suppression of Ter-Petrosian’s
post-election street protests in Yerevan. He subsequently surrendered
to law-enforcement bodies and spent nearly two years in prison on
controversial charges.

Pashinian fell out with Ter-Petrosian in 2012, strongly objecting
to the ex-president’s pursuit of close cooperation with Tsarukian’s
BHK because of the latter’s alleged links to Kocharian. He remains
nominally affiliated with the parliamentary faction of Ter-Petrosian’s
Armenian National Congress (HAK) despite having severed links with
the opposition party.

Pashinian, who is popular with many opposition supporters for his
tough anti-government rhetoric, officially set up Civil Contract
late last year with the stated aim of achieving “regime change” and
democratizing Armenia. Five of the seven members of its governing
board are young civic activists who were not affiliated with any
political parties in the past.

“I can say things about Serzh Sarkisian and his clan that would
make you get goose bumps,” Pashinian said on Monday, commenting
on anti-government statements made by leaders of the HAK, the BHK
and Zharangutyun, a third opposition party involved in the ongoing
protests. “But that’s not what matters. What matters is to make good
on your promises after saying such things.”

“We will be moderate in giving people promises. But we will fulfill
each of our promises,” he added.

Pashinian and his associates announced in that regard that Civil
Contract will seek to cobble together an alternative anti-government
alliance genuinely committed to “regime change.” They said they will
embark on consultations with other opposition forces, civic groups
and individual activists for that purpose soon.

As well as criticizing the HAK, the BHK and Zharangutyun, Pashinian
said Civil Contract will back the opposition trio if it explicitly
demands Sarkisian’s immediate resignation.