Author: Kajoyan Gevork

Iranian Tourists Prefer to Rest in Georgia (Video)

July 4, 2012 14:18

This year, the hopes of our tourism policy officials pinned on
Iranian tourists have not come true. According to their prediction, at
least 30 thousand tourists from Iran should have sought rest in
Armenia, but the statistics shows that their number, as compared to
the first quarter of last year, has decreased by 10 thousand. Instead,
Iranians pass through Armenia and go to Georgia, preferring to rest in
Georgia, which provides cheaper and more modern services.
inquired of Mekhak Apresyan, the head of the tourism and
economic development department, the Ministry of Economy of the
Republic of Armenia, whether we were not hospitable or travel package
and services were expensive and didn’t attract Iranians anymore, the
head of the department explained the decrease by the economic and
political situation in Iran, `Concerning the sanctions imposed against
Iran, there have been exchange rate fluctuations. Generally foreign
tourism from Iran has decreased substantially.’ As for preferring
Georgia, watch Mr. Apresyan’s reply in the video.

NKR problem to be raised again in OSCE PA

13:04 . 05/07

Monaco’s parliament will host the 21st annual session of OSCE PA on
July 5-9, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reports.

The reporters of the assembly’s three general commissions have
prepared reports on the topic `OSCE. Region of Changes’ and draft
resolutions connected with the three levels of OSCE security. The
report of Lithuanian Vilia Aleknaite Abramikene touched upon the
Karabakh conflict. The report particularly says: `The Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict continues to cost lives on the line of contact and tension in
the region is too big. The OSCE MG co-chairs together with the
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents are developing a peace project and
the sides must now make efforts to settle the conflict and reach an
agreement. It will be an important step to respect the ceasefire
agreement and to withdraw snipers. It is also necessary to carry out
complete investigations on the incidents. The joint statement adopted
by the OSCE MG co-chairs and the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign
ministers on December 7, 2011 in Vilnius affirmed that the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be settled peacefully’.

An Armenian delegation headed by Artashes Geghamyan has left for
Monaco to participate in the session.

Former Balance of Forces Does Not Exist

Igor Muradyan
Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 16:11:14 – 05/07/2012

The Karabakh issue is an international one by its geopolitical importance,
interested sides and states, the practice of considerations and
discussions, influence on political processes. Recently the Karabakh issue
has become a subject of intensive discussions on the international arena
which can be explained by the diminishing attention of the West to the
South Caucasus and the Caspian Sea, as well as Western Europe. At the same
time, the Karabakh issue, as well as analogical issues in the South
Caucasus and other regions of Western Europe are considered in terms of
their dependence on large-scale geopolitical and political tasks. In this
regard, viewing the Karabakh issue as an international one requires
observance of a certain balance of notions and categories, on a certain
level of urgency and importance.

The main criterion of consideration of the Karabakh issue, as well as other
analogical problems, is security (regional and interregional). So far the
Karabakh issue has been viewed in terms of predictable security. The
principles of observance of territorial integrity, democracy, tolerance and
others were considered in the framework of security.

In the South Caucasus a hierarchy of conditions and factors of security is
gradually forming which aims at successful production and transportation of
energy resources. For the United States, as well as the United Kingdom that
declare different goals and objectives in the South Caucasus, actual
politics in the South Caucasus is subject to the interests of energy and
communication projects which are significantly depoliticized, as well as
military transit the implementation of which is the main goal, while the
priorities are security and stability in the region, with consideration of
tasks relating to Russia, Turkey and Iran.

Along with these basic conditions specific goals of `net’ geopolitics and
economy are matched, which, depending on the situation, are grouped as
primary and secondary. Combination of political and economic interests
misleads not only the society but also the political class.

Recently France has had a more important role in working out plans and
schemes of settlement of the Karabakh issue along with its growing
influence on the political processes in the Near East. The United Kingdom
is trying out a systemic policy of participation and influence on the
region, implementing projects aimed at the solution of problems relating to
the global energy and communication goals but its role in the region is
consistently unfolded.

The European Union is trying to highlight its influence and new role in the
region, the growing role of France is felt. It is thus necessary to study
the French policy in the region more substantially as a whole Caucasian
project, considering France’s intentions to mark its presence in gas
production and transportation in Azerbaijan. At the same time, the policy
of France on containment of Turkish ambitions remains the same, independent
from the policy of the new president.

The United States is lost, its policy looks less confident, and it is
trying to shed responsibility for one problem or another in the South
Caucasus. These conditions and factors explain the political situation in
the South Caucasus as an action which requires conceptual settings to build
up situation analyses and options. One way or another, the old
understanding and scenarios have been wasted, the former balance of forces
and intentions ended, and there are no new arrangements.

Nevertheless, the situation is uncertain and changeable and cannot have a
serious long-term perspective. There is strong controversy among the main
foreign stakeholders, as well as internal tension in the region when the
situation gets out of control. In this regard, the positions of sides are
not predictable and agreed.

Military actions may resume, leading to a resolution, simplifying the
general scheme of correlation of forces. If the United States is convinced
that it will not have to intervene, and if Russia does not fear that, the
road to war will be open. However, Turkey may, nevertheless, play a crucial
role in the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan if it is caught in a
hopeless blockade and isolation and use Azerbaijan’s ambitions as a
convenient opportunity to launch a war and prove that Ankara writes
scenarios for the given military and political actions. The reluctance to
see this perspective is understood but confirmation of Armenia’s role in
this scenario requires its development.

EDITORIAL
L’inquiétante visite en France d’Ahmet Davutoglu

Prise en otage par la politique étrangère de la Turquie à l’égard de
la France, la communauté arménienne ne peut être qu’inquiète de la
venue à Paris le 5 juillet de M. Ahmet Davutoglu chef de la diplomatie
turque. Comment en effet ne pas s’interroger sur les dessous de cette
visite qui intervient dans le contexte des sanctions turques contre la
France. Des mesures de rétorsion liées à la question du génocide
arménien et dont Ankara a annoncé récemment la levée. Que cache ce
retour à de meilleurs sentiments ? Quel en est le prix ?

Voilà en effet plusieurs décennies que les dirigeants turcs font
pression sur nos gouvernants pour leur dicter la manière dont ils
doivent se comporter à l’égard de ces Français qui ont pour
particularité d’être d’origine arménienne. Ces manipulations visent
principalement à dissuader la nation de protéger la mémoire et la
dignité de cette composante de sa population issue du génocide de 1915
et devenue depuis une partie d’elle même. Elles se sont notamment
exercées à chacune des étapes qui ont jalonné la reconnaissance de ce
crime contre l’humanité, atteignant un pic à la fin 2011 et au début
2012, au moment du vote de la loi antinégationniste.

Pour obtenir l’abolition de ce texte, le régime islamo-conservateur
turc a non seulement revendiqué une série de « sanctions » contre la
France, mais il a aussi mis en `uvre un lobbying performant. Fort de
ses moyens financiers, ceux de la seizième puissance mondiale, il
s’est attaché les services des plus grands groupes publicitaires et de
gestion d’image parisiens qui, en se vendant au plus offrant, ont mis
sans vergogne leur savoir-faire à la disposition de ses projets. Il a
créé également un prestigieux « institut du Bosphore » dont le comité
scientifique comporte un nombre impressionnant de personnalités
politiques, économiques et médiatiques. Cette structure financée par
la Tusiad ( patronat turc) a révélé sa véritable fonction le 24
janvier dernier. Intervenant directement sur les députés, elle les a
enjoints de saisir le conseil constitutionnel afin d’obtenir
l’invalidation de la loi Boyer prévoyant de réprimer, à l’instar de la
loi Gayssot, le négationnisme du génocide des Arméniens. On pourrait
également invoquer dans le même ordre d’idée l’infiltration de nos
universités, dont certaines ont été sollicitées au nom de leur
partenariat avec la Turquie pour prendre leur part dans cette croisade
visant à lever toute entrave légale à l’expression du négationnisme
sur le territoire. (1)

Cette pléthore de moyens en dit long sur le niveau de complicité entre
les gouvernements turcs contemporains et celui des « Jeunes turcs »
concepteur et auteur de l’entreprise d’extermination. Et alors qu’à
trois ans du centième anniversaire de 1915, Ankara passe à l’intérieur
à l’offensive en instruisant depuis le 2 juillet un procès
spectaculaire contre l’éditeur Ragip Zarakolu, premier turc à avoir
osé défier le tabou arménien dans son pays en publiant des livres sur
le génocide, on ne peut qu’appeler notre exécutif à la défense de ses
fondamentaux démocratiques. On est jamais trop prudent face à l’aplomb
d’un Davutoglu dont tout dans la pratique trahit un fort degré
d’armenophobie étayé par une conception vénale des relations
internationales.

Au tout début de son mandat, en mai 2007, le gouvernement français
précédent avait cru pouvoir pactiser avec le diable en négociant avec
Erdogan un lchage des Arméniens. On sait comment cela s’est fini.
Tout ne s’achète pas et ne se vend pas. Même en période de crise.

Ara Toranian

1) Intervention de Jean-Claude Colliard, président de Paris I le 24
mars dernier à la Sorbonne

jeudi 5 juillet 2012,
Ara ©armenews.com

AZERBAIJAN VIOLATES CEASEFIRE AROUND 3,750 TIMES IN JUNE

news.am
July 03, 2012 | 14:58

YEREVAN. – Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire, at the line of contact
with Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, close to 3,750 times in the month
of June.

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces breached the armistice 860 times on June
6-7 alone, Armenian MOD informs.

Overall, the Azerbaijani side fired 670 sniper and 65 large-caliber
machine gun shots throughout June.

And as a result of Azerbaijan’s cease-fire violations in the past
month, five Armenian military servicemen were killed and twelve
others-including a civilian-were wounded.

`Regime overthrow’ program failing in Syria – expert

July 4, 2012 – 17:58 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The program for the overthrow of ruling regime in
Arab world proved difficult to implement in Syria, a Turkish Studies
expert said.

At news conference in Yerevan, Ruben Melkonyan cited wide support
Syria regime enjoys beyond the country behind the program failure.

`This is what makes Syria and Iran different from all the other
countries in the region,’ the expert said.

`Syria-Iran union, supported by Moscow, and partially, Beijing plays a
decisive role in foreign policy sector,’ Melkonyan noted.

`Superpowers put a serious bet on Ankara in allowing it to show
maximum of activity in the region,’ the expert concluded.

Armenian Minister hosted Lebanese Chargé d’affaires

20:25, 4 July, 2012

YEREVAN, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Minister of Diaspora Hranush
Hakobyan on July 4 hosted Lebanese Chargé d’affaires in Armenia Ara
Khachaduryan. Armenpress was informed from Ministry of Diaspora that
Minister Hranush Hakobyan presented to the guest thee program of `My
Armenia’ pan Armenian festival and stressed the importance of
participation of Armenians in Lebanon.

During the meeting priorities of increasing the involvement of
investments in Armenia, cultural, educational and scientific programs
have been discussed. The interlocutors reverberated to issues relating
the event `Armenian-Lebanese cultural days in Yerevan’ in the
framework of the program `Days of Armenian community in Lebanon’ of
the Ministry.

Earlier Armenpress had informed that Minister of Diaspora of Armenia
Hranush Hakobyan on July 2 hosted Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of Iran to the Republic of Armenia Mohammad Raiesi.

President of European Council: European Union to increase financial
aid to Armenia by 25%

arminfo
Wednesday, July 4, 18:52

The European Union will increase financial aid to Armenia by 25% – up
to $50 mln, which will be directed to making the main reforms and
European integration of Armenia, President of European Council, Herman
Van Rompuy at today’s joint press-conference with President of Armenia
Serzh Sargsyan in Yerevan.

He said that the European Union welcomes the efforts of the Armenian
authorities towards holding of more transparent and competitive
elections. There were certain shortcomings in the past elections
mentioned in the report of ODIHR/OSCE, but we hope they will be
corrected by the presidential election, he said.

Mr Rompuy also added that the relations between Armenia and EU have
been deepening, the evidence of which are the active negotiations on
the association agreement on creation of free trade zone, as well as
the talks on simplification of the visa regime. He said that Armenia
is on the right way, it should go on enhancing democratic
institutions, respecting human rights and freedom of speech, although
there is still much to be done and EU is ready to support Armenia
making reforms according to the principle “more for more”.

Reception in Armenian embassy of Lebanon

17:44, 4 July, 2012

YEREVAN, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS: On July 4 pupils of Frères Maristes Jbeil
school of Biblos city visited Armenian embassy of Lebanon who had won
the UN model traditional annual event.

Armenpress was informed from Media, Pres and information department of
Armenian Foreign affairs Ministry that this year in the event took
part 120 schools from Lebanon and Frères Maristes Jbeil School
represented Armenia in different institutions of UN. The pupils of the
school reverberated to economic and political spheres of Armenia and
were awarded to six different nominations by the organizers. During
the second part of the event which was called `Common place’ the
pupils presented Armenian culture. In the framework of the event many
participants left their signature in memorial of Armenian genocide
victims.

Ambassador Ashot Kocharyan congratulated the pupils on occasion of
participating in the event and wished successes.

More residents of Armenia spend vacations in Armenia, NKR – official

news.am
July 04, 2012 | 16:00

YEREVAN. – Domestic tourism in Armenia is annually growing by 20
percent, Economy Ministry’s Tourism and Economic Development
Department Chief Mekhak Apresyan stated during a press conference on
Wednesday.

`More citizens of Armenia have begun spending their rest in Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh [Republic (NKR)],’ he said, and added that the
social package likewise will become an incentive for domestic tourism.

To note, in line with this social package, which was introduced in
Armenia past December, the public servants are allocated a special
amount to spend their vacations. But with these amounts, the public
servants can spend their recreation time solely in Armenia and NKR.

This package also includes mandatory medical insurance and several other points.

`The key objective of the package is to raise the public servant’s
work productivity,’ said Mekhak Apresyan.

He also informed that in carrying out these social packages the
Economy Ministry is collaborating with the tour operators which meet
the specified requirements and have applied for collaboration with the
Ministry.

And the Ministry’s official website () has a page
where information on the collaborating tour operators and their offers
are posted.