Author: Kajoyan Gevork

LA FAMILLE DE L’OFFICIER GOURGUEN MARGARIAN ASSASSINE PAR RAMIL SAFAROV A BUDAPEST A PORTE PLAINTE CONTRE LA HONGRIE ET L’AZERBAIDJAN DEVANT LA COUR EUROPEENNE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME

Le Ministère armenien de la Justice a fait savoir que les proches de
l’officier armenien tue a Budapest il y a neuf ans, ainsi qu’un autre
officier, Hayk Makouchian, qui a egalement failli etre assassine par
Ramil Safarov, ont depose une plainte auprès de la Cour europeenne
des droits de l’Homme. Ils contestent la legalite de la liberation
de Ramil Safarov, qui serait contraire aux articles 2 et 14 de la
Convention europeenne des droits de l’Homme. Le vice-ministre de
la Justice, Ruben Melikian, a declare que le Gouvernement armenien
pourrait s’impliquer dans les procedures judiciaires a Strasbourg a
un stade ulterieur, si la Cour europeenne acceptait de statuer sur
l’action en justice. / Rapporte par l’ensemble de la presse

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 4 mars 2013

lundi 11 mars 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LA REOUVERTURE DE LA LIGNE FERROVIAIRE ENTRE LA RUSSIE ET LA GEORGIE EN COURS DE NEGOCIATIONS

Le Premier ministre georgien, Bidzina Ivanishvili, souhaite reouvrir
la ligne ferroviaire reliant la Georgie ainsi que l’Armenie a la
Russie. Lors d’une visite officielle a Erevan, le ministre de la
Defense Irakli Alasania a declare : ” J’ai soutenu la reouverture de
la ligne en 2005, lorsque j’etais le negociateur du conflit entre la
Georgie et l’Abkhazie. Je continue a la soutenir. Mais nous devons
le faire d’une manière très delicate, sans hâte. Je pense que nos
partenaires abkhazes doivent egalement se sentir a l’aise a ce sujet.

”

” S’il y a une volonte politique – je ne parle pas seulement du côte
georgien, je veux dire aussi du côte russe – je pense que ce projet
apporterait beaucoup d’avantages a la region. Je suis sûr que les
premières mesures seront bientôt prises “, a ajoute Alasania.

Cette question a ete egalement abordee avec les dirigeants armeniens.

Le Premier ministre Tigran Sarkissian soutient la reouverture
de ce chemin de fer. La ligne ferroviaire a ete fermee lors du
declenchement de la guerre en Abkhazie en 1992. La liaison ferroviaire
russo-georgienne ferait egalement baisser les coûts de transport de
l’importation armenienne.

Le president Mikheil Saakashvili, qui est de plus en plus en desaccord
avec Ivanishvili, s’oppose a l’ouverture de la voie ferree. Il a
affirme que cette ligne serait de peu d’utilite pour son pays. Le
gouvernement Ivanishvili promeut la reouverture de la ligne pour
faciliter l’eventuelle resolution des conflits en Abkhazie et en
Ossetie du Sud grâce a de meilleures relations avec la Russie.

Lors d’une conference de presse, les ministres de la defense armenien
et georgien ont declare jeudi 7 mars 2013 : ” Nous sommes des amis
et nous avons deja une relation chaleureuse “, a declare Alasania
a RFE/RL en se referant a Ohanian. ” Mais l’essentiel est d’assurer
la cooperation entre nos institutions militaires. Nous prevoyons un
plan d’interaction pour 2013. ”

lundi 11 mars 2013, Laetitia ©armenews.com

ELECTIONS MUNICIPALES A EREVAN PREVUES LE 5 MAI

Les habitants d’Erevan iront aux urnes pour elire un nouveau conseil
municipal le 5 mai prochain. Le Parti republicain d’Armenie (HHK)
prevoit de conserver le contrôle de l’administration municipale
d’Erevan, selon un responsable du HHK. Le parti republicain, dirige
par le president Serge Sarkissian, a rencontre jeudi soir les trois
principaux candidats aux elections. ” Notre Parti a toutes les
chances de remporter la victoire “, a declare Edouard Sharmazanov,
le porte-parole du HHK.

” Dans cette concurrence libre, equitable et ouverte, nous avons
toutes les chances pour que la population vote de manière confiante
“, a-t-il dit. Sharmazanov a laisse entendre que le HHK va gagner les
elections, meme si les partis d’opposition s’unissent. Le HAK a refuse
de reconnaître la legitimite de la victoire du HHK lors des dernières
elections de 2009. Certains membres du parti de l’opposition dirige
par Levon Ter-Petrossian avaient egalement decide de ne pas occuper
leur fonction de conseillers en signe de protestation.

lundi 11 mars 2013, Laetitia ©armenews.com

REPORT ABOUT SOCIAL REFORMS IN ARMENIA

The Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation with the support of the
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung has published the second volume of its Social
Reforms in Armenia policy paper series for the following three sectors:
a) Agriculture, b) Mining, and c) Education. Each section includes
examples of best international practices as they pertain to those
areas, the current situation in Armenia, and applicable solutions
from a social democratic perspective.

The Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation is a think tank in Armenia. Its focus
and aim is to encourage public debate and promote equality, freedom,
and democracy in Armenia and the region. The Foundation produces
academic research papers, linking them to political decision-making and
policy, organizes conferences and round tables, publishes studies on
social democracy, and conducts trainings for young political leaders.

UNIQUE SITUATION CREATED FOR RESTORATION OF ABKHAZIAN RAILWAY, SAYS SERGEY MINASYAN

13:25 12/03/2013 ” ECONOMY

Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Alasania’s visit to Armenia was
important in respect of discussing issues of military cooperation
and military transit. But besides it, I think, as an influential
representative of the new Georgian authorities, Alasania also
discussed with the Armenian side other regional issues, including the
possibility of restoring the Abkhazian railway, political scientist,
Deputy Director of the Caucasus Institute Sergey Minasyan told a
news conference in Yerevan when commenting on the Georgian Defense
Minister’s recent visit to Armenia.

According to the expert, it is possible that Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Abkhazian leadership
will have bilateral or trilateral meetings and consultations today
in Moscow.

Sergey Minasyan noted that it is little probable that the Abkhazian
sector of the railway will be restored but added that today “there
is a unique situation, with the Georgian side having, to some extent,
changed its position on this issue and being more ready to solve it.”

Source: Panorama.am

ANOTHER AZERI SOLDIER’S DEATH BLAMED ON ARMENIAN SIDE

March 11, 2013 – 21:57 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – An Azerbaijani soldier Abilov Ali Ilham oglu, born
1994, has been killed at the line of contact with Artsakh armed forces.

As usual Azeri media claim the soldier was killed in violation of
ceasefire by Armenian side.

As Artsakh defence army spokesman Senor Hasratyan told PanARMENIAN.Net
Nagorno Karabakh armed forces didn’t violate the ceasefire. “Azeri
media reports are false,” he said.

HUNGER-STRIKE DAY 3: FORMER CANDIDATE AVOIDS TALKING TO REPORTERS (PHOTOS)

11:30 ~U 12.03.13

President Sargsyan’s runner-up in the February 18 election, the
opposition Heritage party’s leader is on a hunger-strike at Yerevan’s
Liberty Square for the third consecutive day.

Raffi Hovhannisian avoided talking to journalists visiting him Tuesday
morning, promising to do that only once a day – at news conferences
to be held every evening at 5:00.

Instead, the former opposition candidate reads the daily press in
morning. His wife, Armenuhi, was with him today, together with other
supporters. Passers-by would occasionally approach the politician
with questions or advice.

Hovhannisian, who disputes the official voting results, declared
an open-ended hunger-strike after his Sunday rally, demanding the
re-elected president’s withdrawal.

Also at Liberty Square, several young activists are holding a sit-in
protest on the stairs leading to the Opera House. One of them, David
Sanasaryan of the Heritage party, told our correspondent that the
night saw no incident at the protest site.

“We talked together and sang, so nothing special happened. We saw
almost no policeman. Thirty of us started the hunger-strike yesterday,
but we were 100-150 at the peak moment. They will start gathering soon,
so will be here, keeping watch all day round,” he said.

Sanasaryan promised that the group will be standing by the Heritage
leader until the end of his campaign.

According to the official voting results, President Serzh Sargsyan won
the election 58,64% of votes, with Hovhannisian receiving only 63,75%.

The former candidate claims the election was tainted by fraud to
secure the incumbent’s second term.

ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES ATTEMPT TO PRESENT OPPOSITION AS DROSS – FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDER

NEWS.AM
March 12, 2013 | 11:28

YEREVAN. – In line with the Armenian Central Electoral Commission
data, during the presidential election on February 18, President Serzh
Sargsyan received 100 or 99 percent of the votes in 576 precincts, and
such data are solely characteristic of the Soviet era. Ex-presidential
candidate, political scientist Andreas Ghukasyan stated this Tuesday
at the Constitutional Court session, during which his and fellow
former presidential contender-opposition Heritage Party leader,
former FM-Raffi Hovannisian’s petitions are deliberated on.

In his words, such results cannot be reliable and offer a hope that
the election results were not rigged.

Ghukasyan added that, ahead of the election, the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions
and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) initial report noted that the boundary
between the government and the ruling party is removed, and that the
presidential election was its proof.

The ex-presidential hopeful also noted that the authorities are
attempting to present the opposition as dross.

In addition, Andreas Ghukasyan demanded that the recent presidential
vote be declared null and void, and a new election be conducted.

STILL WAITING FOR SARGSYAN: HUNGER-STRIKING HOVANNISIAN SAYS ‘DE FACTO’ PRESIDENT NOW HAS TO COME TO LIBERTY SQUARE

VOTE 2013 | 12.03.13 | 10:56

Photolure

By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN ArmeniaNow reporter

Opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian, who went on hunger strike last
Sunday as part of his current protest against the outcome of the
February 18 presidential election, has accused the presidential
administration of lying about his response to a proposed meeting.

At a Monday evening press conference in Yerevan’s Liberty Square,
the venue where he is holding his protest action, the 53-year-old
candidate who claims to have been robbed of victory in the election
officially won by incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan, insisted that
he did not reject the proposal of the presidential administration
for a meeting with the president. He said that the proposal was made
by Chief of Presidential Staff Vigen Sargsyan (no relation to the
president) in a phone conversation with Heritage Party representative
Armen Martirosyan. Hovannisian made it clear that he wouldn’t meet
with President Sargsyan in his office anymore, he was still ready to
receive him in the square. (The presidential spokesman earlier said
that Hovannisian had declined the proposal).

Hovannisian and Sargsyan met on February 21 when the Heritage party
leader personally went to the presidential compound. After the
meeting, however, the opposition leader said that President Sargsyan
had rejected all of his proposals. After that, during his rallies he
periodically spoke about his readiness to meet with the president
again anywhere, including in his office, in order to discuss ways
out of the situation.

But now, after he started his hunger strike, the opposition leader
rules out his going to the president’s office again for talks.

“The next time I go there will be as an elected representative. I
myself went there and stated my readiness to go again, but now
mutual willingness and readiness is needed to recognize the victory
of the people, to overcome this national chasm. And until now I have
received zero, none [response] from Mr. Sargsyan. This is already his
opportunity for a sober assessment of the situation,” said Hovannisian.

Statements and comments being heard from the ruling Republican Party of
Armenia (RPA) led by President Sargsyan mainly qualify Hovannisian’s
hunger strike as a provocation aimed at destabilizing the country. At
the same time, senior RPA member Galust Sahakyan does not rule out
that Sargsyan may visit Hovannisian.

“Whether he visits or not, I don’t think that it will feed the
people… Of course, if the public needs that, then the president
is tolerant of it, as much as needed,” said Sahakyan at a press
conference.

Meanwhile, Hovannisian, who demands that Sargsyan “recognize the
victory of the people and hold new elections” and is also disputing
the election results also at the Constitutional Court, declared that
he was ready to stay in Liberty Square until April 9, the day of
presidential inauguration, waiting for Sargsyan’s “withdrawal”.

“And on April 9, after long pangs, a New Armenia will be born,”
said Hovannisian, without elaborating.

And while Hovannisian is waiting for Sargsyan, he is being visited
by various public and political figures, scholars and intellectuals.

Among those who visited him on Monday were Prosperous Armenia Party
(PAP) representative Vartan Oskanian, Hanrapetutyun Party leader
Aram Sargsyan, People’s Party of Armenia Chairman Stepan Demirchyan,
former Speaker of Parliament Tigran Torosyan, Republican MP Margarit
Yesayan, Armenian National Congress lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan, former
presidential candidate Andrias Ghukasyan and others.

No details of the Hovannisian-Oskanian meeting are known yet. It is
expected that PAP will issue a statement on the latest developments,
including Hovannisian’s hunger strike, in coming days.

Talking to media, Hanrapetutyun party leader Sargsyan said that if
opposition factions in the National Assembly give up their mandates
and people who voted for Hovannisian attend the opposition leader’s
Friday rally, it will change the political situation in the country
and “no dictator can resist it.”

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO CANADA CALLED FOR HIS COLLEAGUE FROM TURKEY TO RECOGNISE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

11:05, 12 March, 2013

YREVAN, MARCH 12, ARMENPRESS: Armenian ambassador to Canada called for
his colleague from Turkey to have courage to recognise the Armenian
Genocide. As reports Armenpress, Armenian ambassador responded to
Turkey’s ambassador Dr. Tuncay Babali’s statement that he hadn’t
come across any “substantiated historical and legal evidence” about
Armenian Genocide.

“I, as an ordinary Armenian, not an ambassador, am obliged to respond
to my colleague from Turkey, who, surprisingly, hasn’t come across any
“substantiated historical and legal evidence” on Armenian Genocide
during his distinguished career. I do not wish to go into the
details of the Genocide, which has been overwhelmingly documented,
but honestly believing to my colleague’s lack of knowledge I’ll just
point out few directions where Dr. Tuncay Babali may replenish his
academic reservoirs with certain facts.

In 2002 the New York-based independent International Center for
Transitional Justice concluded that the Ottoman massacre of Armenians
“includes all of the elements of the crime of genocide as defined in
the Genocide Convention.” Moreover, in addition to Canada, where my
Turkish colleague is accredited as an ambassador, there are more than
two dozen states and several international organizations – amongst
them the most renowned International Association of Genocide Scholars –
who have recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide.

Another fact-finding mission is to simply travel through western
Armenia, which was conquered in 11th century by Turkish nomads from
Altay Mountains, and suddenly stumble upon thousands of Armenian
monuments, churches, fortresses, entire cities that Turkish government
didn’t even bother to rename. Ask yourself – where is the indigenous
population of these cities, where are the Christian parishioners of
the empty churches, how could 1,5 million people simply disappear
from the face of this earth.

I think you will find a little bit of historic evidence that still
lies in the land of Noah, the Cradle of Civilization that Young Turks’
government so brutally raped and desecrated. Have dignity and courage
to recognize, like bright Turkish novelist, Nobel Prize winner,
Orhan Pamuk. Have respect towards 10 million Armenians that still
mourn their terrific losses. Have courage!” said in the open letter.

The letter of Armenian ambassador was published in The star newspaper.

Earlier, on March 8, The star had published Dr. Tuncay Babli’s
“Turkey helping Syrian Armenians” online letter.