YEREVAN’S AUTHORITIES AFRAID OF SOCIAL UNREST
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Nov 5 2013
5 November 2013 – 5:07pm
Yerevan City Hall is afraid of a popular uprising and that is why
transport tariffs will be increased ahead of New Year, the Aykakan
Zhamanak newspaper says.
According to the newspaper, the authorities believe that if this is
case people will not hold protest demonstrations.
AZERBAIJAN BOYCOTTS EURONEST FOLLOWING ITS ELECTION EVALUATION U-TURN
eTurboNews
Nov 5 2013
Nov 05, 2013
KIEV, Ukraine – During the bureau meeting of the Euronest Parliamentary
Assembly in Kiev, Ukraine, the head of Azerbaijan’s delegation issued
a statement explaining why he is set to boycott the body following
its recent motion in which it criticised the Presidential election
in Azerbaijan.
Euronest PA last month passed the motion in defiance of its own
observer delegation, which had found the poll to be “free, fair and
transparent”.
In his letter to Euronest, the Chairman of the Azerbaijani Delegation,
Elkhan Suleymanov, asked: “What’s the actual position of the European
Parliament? Does it want to cooperate with Azerbaijan and create
peace and stability in South Caucasus? Does it recognise its reports
and delegation?”
He went on to condemn Article 32 – the motion criticising the election
– before announcing the withdrawal of Azerbaijan’s Euronest delegation.
“Azerbaijan will stop its activity in this institution during the
Armenian chairmanship of the Euronest PA from EaP component until
the liberation of Azerbaijani territories from the occupation,” he
said, a reference to Armenia’s occupation of about 20 per cent of
Azerbaijani territory.
Suleymanov reminded his Euronest colleagues that observer missions of
the European Parliament, PACE and OSCE PA had all found the election
to be fair, with the ODIHR verdict the stand-out exception.
Yet Euronest chose to side with ODIHR in defiance of its own observer
team. This, he said previously, amounted to “political sabotage”.
In a landslide result, incumbent Ilham Aliyev won the election of
October 9th, with exit polls by American pollsters Arthur J.
Finkelstein finding voters in no mood for change, given Azerbaijan’s
booming economy and the President’s high ratings on the issues of
security and Nagorno-Karabakh.
The territory and surrounding regions continue to be occupied by
Armenia despite resolutions in the United Nations, the European
Parliament, the OSCE and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe.
European Parliament President Martin Schultz said recently: “Azerbaijan
and Armenia themselves should solve this complex issue.”
This contradicts the remit of the Minsk group, which is committed to
a political solution to the occupation.
Given the lingering tensions surrounding the Armenian occupation of
Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan was angered that Armenia was allowed to
co-chair Euronest EaP. Now Suleymanov says his team will only resume
their seats when this “inflammatory chairmanship” comes to an end.
EU GIVES ARMENIA “LAST CHANCE” OF REVISING DECISION ON CUSTOMS UNION
168 Zham, Armenia
Oct 31 2013
[Translated from Armenian]
European diplomatic and expert circles have recently changed their
assessments regarding future ties with Armenia to a certain extent
in the context of political and propaganda-related attacks on Armenia
by countries members of the [Russian-dominated] Customs Union.
At present, more opinions are being voiced that Armenia’s European
future is not totally lost, that Europe should fight for Armenia,
and that the association agreement and the free trade area agreement
continue to be on the agenda of relations between EU and Armenia
instead of the evaluations sounding like hopelessness and sorrow
following 3 September [when Armenia’s intention to join the Customs
Union was made public].
The message of the Europeans is very clear: If Armenia manages to
renounce the decision to join the Customs Union in any way before
the summit of the Eastern Partnership Programme to be held at the
end of November in Vilnius, they are ready to initial the association
agreement and the agreement on free trade area with their same content.
Naturally, Europeans can see how countries members of the Customs
Union are treating Armenia. They can hear comments and statements
on coordinating Armenia’s membership [in the Customs Union] with
Azerbaijan, and they record all those steps, which may become a
profound ground for the Armenian authorities for reviewing their
decision to join the Customs Union.
Of course, revision of the decision to join the Customs Union by
Armenia and the initialling of the signature of the association
agreement with the EU seems unrealistic at a glance.
However, this is unrealistic and non-serious to the same extent as the
prospect to join the Customs Union was before 3 September. Europeans
understand this as well and give the Armenian authorities the last
chance to use the obstacles created by “partners” in the Customs Union
and to revise that decision, which, as they [Armenian authorities] told
almost all EU officials, was made under pressure from the Russian side.
[Translated from Armenian]
TURKEY SHOWS PROGRESS, SAYS ARMENIAN HISTORIAN RAYMOND KEVORKIAN
Yerepouni Daily News
November 4, 2013 Monday
Armenian-descent French historian Raymond Kevorkian says the conference
held on Islamized Armenians is a result of Turkey’s positive progress
in democracy, but remains pessimistic about the country to take any
step towards breaking “dogmas” regarding the 1915 incidents before
its 100th anniversary.
“Turkey has been changing for the good and it would be unfair not
to see that, this conference is a result of that,” Kevorkian told
Hurriyet Daily News on the sidelines of three-day conference regarding
Islamized Armenians that started Nov. 2 in Istanbul.
Despite hailing the opening of archives, Kevorkian implied he still
does not expect drastic moves from Turkey before the 100th anniversary
of the 1915 incidents, which is anticipated as a breaking point for
Armenian diaspora. “2015 is an opportunity to break this dogma, but
Turkey doesn’t look like it will take a step toward it.” Speaking
about the idea of the establishment of a Historian’s Commission to
be consisted of the two countries’ historians, Kevorkian said he is
against the formation of a commission under a state’s guidance.
“Historians should be independent; they don’t wait for the state’s
approval to start working. Besides, we, Armenian and Turkish
historians, are already in cooperation and congregate together in
scientific meetings.” “Moreover, there is no need to discuss the
presence of the Armenian genocide as the result is obvious. The
Armenian genocide is a reality acknowledged by the international
community as well,” he added.
TRANSPORTATION FARE IN YEREVAN EXPECTED TO INCREASE ON JAN. 1: NEWSPAPER
11.05.2013 16:30 epress.am
Yerevan City Hall intends to raise the public transportation fee to
150 Armenian dram from Jan. 1, 2014, reports local daily Haykakan
Zhamanak, referring to its sources.
The newspaper reports that the government, considering what happened
this past summer, when as a result of protests it was forced to refrain
from increasing the rate, has chosen to raise the price over the New
Year’s holidays, calculating that the public reaction will not be as
fervent as last time, as well as the fact that it will be cold and
the youth won’t go out onto the street.
“And until this decision is made public, according to the same sources,
it will announced that the transportation fare will become 200 dram,
but in the end, the Republic of Armenia citizens will be given a
‘favor,’ and according to the government’s calculations, everyone
will be glad that at least they will pay 150 dram. And though the
political decision is considered established, the authorities have
serious concerns that its calculations might not work and the decision
to increase [public] transportation fares can lead to a revolt,”
reports the paper.
WHOLE WORLD KNOWS ARMENIAN EXPERIMENT IN SCOUTING: ARMENIA’S DEFENSE MINISTER
18:11, 5 November, 2013
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian world-famous scouts
transferred their experiment to the scouts serving in the Armed Forces
of the Republic of Armenia who fully carry out the tasks they come
across. The Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Seyran
Ohanyan stated it in a conversation with the journalists at the end of
the festive ceremonies held on November 5 in occasion of the Scouting
Day. “The whole world knows that the sons of the Armenian people have
contributed great experiment to the development of the world scouting.
All that has been transferred to our present day scouts who carried
out the tasks they faced with high level both in the period of Artsakh
survival and at the course of post-war years,” Seyran Ohanyan pointed
out as reported by Armenpress. The Minister of Defense of the Republic
of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan added that the Armed Forces of the Republic
of Armenia including scouting subdivisions will do utmost to ensure
peaceful sky.
The holiday of scouting, one of the most important subdivisions
of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia was marked by the
demonstration of tricks in the area of “Arzni” airport.
© 2009 ARMENPRESS.am
CLASHES IN CENTRAL YEREVAN: DOZENS DETAINED
11.05.2013 23:24 epress.am
At around 5 pm local time in Yerevan today, a planned march with
activists wearing Guy Fawkes masks ended a few minutes after it begun –
with the detention of dozens of activists.
When marchers began to move from Liberty Square to Mashtots Avenue,
explosions went off. The Epress.am correspondent on the scene was
unable to determine who threw the explosives. According to police,
activists threw the explosives, while the latter said there were
several provocateurs in place.
Ahead of today’s march, political figure, Tseghakron party chair
Shant Harutyunyan said [AM] he’s prepared for revolution. He said
he doesn’t want bloodshed, and if the authorities leave voluntarily,
he is willing to give them roses or carnations.
Harutyunyan also earlier announced that he and his supporters don’t
have guns: though they have sticks and Molotov cocktails, he said,
they are not preparing to attack anyone if they are not provoked.
“People should have the opportunity to express themselves, and there
should not be mayhem in this country. Until the authorities don’t
leave, until [Armenian President] Serzh [Sargsyan] doesn’t leave
Armenia, this country won’t stand on its feet,” he had said.
At around 5:10 pm, the police detained Shant Harutyunyan and several of
his supporters. Afterwards, police forces surrounded Liberty Square,
prohibited the free movement of people, and obstructed the work
of journalists.
Police began to detain anyone on the scene. Among those detained
were activist Vigen Gabrielyan. According to preliminary reports,
also detained are Liparit Petrosyan, Alen Simonyan, Vahagn Minasyan,
Karen Harutyunyan, Vrezh Zatikyan, David Harutyunyan, David Gevorgyan,
and Garik Yavrumyan.
l
DAVID HAKOBYAN: NEW CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES NEEDED FOR TACKLING DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN CHALLENGES
18:35 05/11/2013 ” POLITICS
Currently, we need new conceptual approaches for tackling the domestic
and foreign challenges, leader of the Marxist Party of Armenia David
Hakobyan told a news conference on Tuesday.
Hakobyan noted that the entry into the Customs Union and the Karabakh
conflict are priority issues for Armenia in the current period.
Regarding the Karabakh conflict, Hakobyan said that in his letter to
Vladimir Putin – then the Prime Minister of Russia – dated May 9,
2011, he proposed revitalizing the Treaty of Gulistan and making
Nagorno-Karabakh part of Russia.
According to him, that would be more correct than the implementation
of the Madrid Principles.
Armenia and Artsakh need peace and only Russian military presence
in Karabakh can be a guarantee of security, the Marxist Party leader
concluded.
Source: Panorama.am
ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS AT ISTANBUL FESTIVAL
15:40 05/11/2013 ” SPORT
Armenian chess player Ari Kiremitciyan (Turkey) scored 7 points out
of 9 and took 5th place among 155 participants at tournament B of
the chess festival in Istanbul.
Another Armenian chess player from Istanbul, Zaven Cigdemoglu, ended
with 4.5 points.
Mahmoud Dahhan (Syria) won the tournament, scoring 8.5 points,
armchess.am said.
Source: Panorama.am
EXPERT BLAMES LARGE EXPORTERS FOR POTATO EXPORT PROBLEMS AT GEORGIAN BORDER
ECONOMY | 05.11.13 | 16:38
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Agrarian Union NGO Chairman Hrach Berberyan thinks that it is major
exporters and Georgia that gain from the recent scandal at the border
in which hundreds of tons of Armenian potato were turned away by
Georgian officials as “damaged”.
“This year up to 10,000 tons of potatoes have already been
exported from Armenia. But there are [wholesale] buyers who seek
to acquire cheap potatoes. Exporters have taken advantage of the
Georgian-Azerbaijani propaganda. They spread the news for the farmers
to lower the price so that they can gain excessive revenues. It was
spread through all media that the road was closed and no potato [from
Armenia] was accepted in Georgia,” Berberyan told media on Tuesday,
stressing that this year Armenia has had a very good potato yield.
Last week, Georgia’s news website Georgia Online reported that
Georgia will return to Armenia 470 tons of potatoes. It said that
the inspection of the produce at the Sadakhlo customs check-point
revealed that some of the potatoes exported from Armenia had been
infected with harmful microorganisms – Ralstonia solanacearum (brown
rot) and Synchytrium endobioticum (Schilb) Perc (potato cancer). A
similar case was reported last April when about 12 tons of potatoes
were returned to Armenia.
Spokeswoman for the chief of the State Food Security Service of the
Armenian Ministry of Agriculture Armine Sukiasyan told ArmeniaNow
that the fact of the potatoes being “damaged” has not been proved in
any way, since Georgia has presented no result of laboratory testing
to the Armenian Service. Sukiasyan said that head of the Service
Abram Bakhchagulyan is currently in Georgia and only after he gets
explanations about the situation during meetings there will it become
possible for the Service to come up with an official statement.
“At this moment the Service denies the information that the exported
potatoes passed laboratory tests in Georgia, since there was only an
external inspection there. They heard that the potato was not good
and that was it. It is connected with some problems. We do not want
to comment on them at this point, because there are some importers
here, foreigners, to whom priority is given. As for why no written
information about the testing was provided to us and why now they
disseminate such information, that’s exactly why the chief of the
Service is in Georgia today,” said the spokesperson.
The Agrarian Union’s head, meanwhile, called on potato producers
not to panic and not to think that the Georgian market was closed
to them, because the information that was widespread was “slander
and provocation”.
“In the whole world the potato production situation is bad, the price
has gone up, but in Armenia there is a stable potato yield this year,
the country has satisfied its potato needs and we also hjave a little
something to export. They used to purchase at a wholesale price of 90
drams (less than 25 cents) [per kilogram], but recently the price went
up to 120 drams. At last farmers could earn a penny for their work, but
now they try to rob the peasants again,” Berberyan said, recalling the
difficulties that the wholesale purchases of apricots involved during
the summer season, when apricots got rotten in queues at reception
points, forcing the farmers to sell off their produce at low prices.