Author: Kajoyan Gevork

LES OPPOSANTS AU GOUVERNEMENT EN DESACCORD AVEC TER-PETROSSIAN
Laetitia

armenews.com
mercredi 16 mai 2012

Aram Sarkisian, un politicien de l’opposition de premier plan a renonce
vendredi 11 mai 2012 a son siège au Parlement nouvellement elu et a
confirme que son parti Hanrapetutyun (Republique) pourrait quitter
le Congrès national armenien (HAK) en raison de leurs desaccords.

Aram Sarkissian a termine troisième sur la liste des candidats du
HAK lors des elections parlementaires du 6 mai. Le bloc dirige par
l’ancien president Levon Ter-Petrossian a remporte sept sièges a
l’Assemblee nationale sur 131.

” Pour toutes les personnes qui souhaitent entrer a l’Assemblee
nationale dans l’espoir de changer quelque chose, je leur souhaite
beaucoup de succès. Je ne veux pas les retenir avec mes approches
realistes et pragmatiques et ma presence “, a declare Aram Sarkissian
lors d’une conference.

Aram Sarkissian, dont le parti a ete un membre cle du HAK, a confirme
l’analyse des medias au sujet des divergences avec Ter-Petrossian et
les membres de l’entourage de l’ex-president. Elles auraient emerge
au printemps 2011 et sont centrees sur les questions de politique
interieure et etrangère. Le parti, connu pour etre anti-gouvernemental,
est egalement oppose a une cooperation etroite avec le Parti prospère
de Gagik Tsarukian (BHK), a-t-il ajoute.

Le HAK a lance une nouvelle campagne de manifestations
anti-gouvernementales a Erevan en fevrier 2011, menacant de mener
un printemps arabe dans le pays. Ter-Petrossian a ensuite attenue sa
rhetorique, après l’obtention de concessions du gouvernement. Le fosse
entre Hanrapetutyun et Ter-Petrossian a emerge en fevrier dernier.

Aram Sarkissian, qui a ete Premier ministre en Armenie de 1999 a 2000,
a refuse de se prononcer sur la possibilite de se separer complètement
du HAK. Il a ensuite declare qu’il se prononcerait sur cette question
plus tard.

Levon Zurabian du HAK a refuse de commenter la possibilite d’une
rupture avec le parti Hanrapetutyun.

LES ELECTIONS EN EUROPE PEUVENT DYNAMISER LE DOSSIER TURC (WESTERWELLE)
Ara

armenews.com
mercredi 16 mai 2012

ISTANBUL, 15 mai 2012 (AFP) – Le processus d’adhesion de la Turquie
a l’Union europeenne pourrait prendre de l’elan après les elections
en Europe, notamment en France, a estime mardi a Istanbul le ministre
allemand des Affaires etrangères Guido Westerwelle.

“Les relations euro-turques et les negociations d’adhesion doivent
etre re-dynamisees. Depuis trop longtemps pas un seul chapitre (de
negociations) n’a ete ouvert”, a declare M. Westervelle lors d’un
discours a l’universite Sabanci d’Istanbul.

Le ministre allemand a souligne que l’Europe devait offrir une
perspective d’adhesion a la Turquie et que les progrès avec
cette dernière “doivent dependre des merites d’Ankara et non de
considerations domestiques” dans les Etats membres.

“Je suis optimiste sur le fait que les recentes elections en Europe
vont renforcer ce principe”, a dit M. Westervelle, en allusion a
l’election a la presidence francaise du socialiste Francois Hollande
pour remplacer Nicolas Sarkozy, fervent opposant a une entree de
la Turquie musulmane dans l’UE. Le ministre liberal est le numero
deux du gouvernement de la chancelière Angela Merkel qui elle aussi
est opposee a une integration d’Ankara dans l’UE. Les pourparlers
d’adhesion de la Turquie, ouverts en 2005, sont geles du fait notamment
de l’impasse chypriote.

Ankara refuse d’appliquer son union douanière a la partie
chypriote-grecque de l’île divisee, qui est membre de l’UE, qu’elle ne
reconnaît pas. En reponse, l’UE a gele toute une serie de chapitres
de negociations. M. Westervelle a une nouvelle fois exhorte Ankara a
appliquer le “protocole d’Ankara” pour surmonter l’impasse chypriote
et a continuer d’avancer dans la voie des reformes democratiques.

M. Westervelle est arrive en Turquie lundi pour une visite de travail
et s’est entretenu a Ankara avec son homologue turc Ahmet Davutoglu.

KIZILAY TO FACILITATE SURVIVAL OF ARMENIAN SCHOOL IN Ä°STANBUL

Today’s Zaman
May 15 2012
Turkey

The Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) will finance the expenses of an
Armenian primary school to enable it to survive. The Levon Vertuhyan
Primary School, owned by Turkey’s Armenian community, is on the verge
of closure due to financial troubles.

Kızılay President Ahmet Lutfi Akar and General Manager Omer TaÅ~_lı
paid a visit to school, which has 85 students, on Monday. “We are open
to all kinds of benevolence. We learned that this school can hardly
survive as an educational institution and decided to help them,”
Akar said and underscored that Kızılay does not discriminate on
the basis of religion, language or race when it comes to delivering
aid. “We will meet the food needs of the school and also help the
[students’] families if they are in need,” Akar noted. He also added
that in future academic years, Kızılay will finance the annual needs
of the school, including clothing for the students. The head of the
foundation that owns the school, Monik Ergan, thanked Kızılay. “We
are happy to host them [Kızılay officials] here and thank them for
their help,” she said. Akar later presented 100 boxes prepared for
the needy students and their families.

INTERVIEW: CROOKED I DESCRIBES THE EVOLUTION FROM CISCO TO ACE OF SPADES
BY ROSS SCARANO

Complex.com

May 15 2012

Crooked I is best recognized these days as one quarter of the lyrical
assassins known as Slaughterhouse, but the Cali MC has been putting
in work for years. It’s been a decade since Crooked appeared on the
cover of XXL as part of the reincarnated Death Row Records roster,
and close to five years since being part of their Freshmen class
alongside Joell Ortiz, also part of Slaughterhouse.

It’s a fact that alcohol is a great way to get to know someone,
and in lieu of shots, talking about the stuff will have to do. Thus,
when Slaughterhouse came through the offices to promote their upcoming
release, Welcome to: Our House, we sat down with Crooked to talk about
first-time drinking experiences, wine tastings, and life on the road.

Bet you wouldn’t peg Crooked as an avid wine enthusiast, would you?

Don’t judge.

Complex: Do you remember the first time you got drunk?

Crooked I: I was young, I wasn’t supposed to be drinking. They had
some shit that I don’t think people drink anymore, though I know it’s
still available because I had a moment not long ago where I wanted
to do some retro drinking-anyway, I drank Cisco. I got drunk out of
my mind, to the point where I was scared. My heart was beating fast,
and I had to lie down in the bed, thinking, “Oh, God, just please let
me wake up from this.” Sometimes, when you’re drunk, you can be moving
around and you’ll feel fine, but the moment you sit down, it turns:
“Aw, shit.”

Who were you with?

I was with my older brother. He says, “Oh, you want some? Go ahead,
big man.” Thanks, bro.

So, you’re still heavily into Cisco?

I do the vodka a lot. I have some Armenian and Russian business
partners, meaning lots of shots. A lot of people don’t know that a
lot of cognac comes from Armenia now. Supposedly you’re not allowed
to call it cognac if it doesn’t come from that specific area of France.

But a lot of good aged cognac comes from Armenia. Some of my buddies
have bottles as tall as me. They have little spouts at the bottom.

We’re boring here in the States with our bottles. Meanwhile, this
Armenian stuff is in a lion’s head, and the shit comes out the
lion’s mouth.

I’ll also drink some Johnny Walker Blue, some Platinum Patron. I
tried Ace of Spades because of Jay-Z.

What’d you think?

It was all right. What can I say though-I was totally influenced. You
know, I only drink Ciroc ’cause of Puffy. Puffy says it’s cool? Fuck
it, I’ll drink it. I’m just a consumer. But what I really like to do
is go on wine tours.

Wine tours?

Wine tours. Napa Valley. Temecula. Santa Barbara. I’ve had some $7.99
champagne on these tours that taste better than Cristal. Shout out
Almond Creek Champagne-cut me a check!

Outside of champagne, wine isn’t very popular in rap. You rarely hear
people talking about wine on record.

I think it’s too mellow. Or too mature. I know lots of rappers
that drink wine, they just don’t talk about it. They’re on their
grown’n’sexy shit when they’re drinking wine. But we should start
talking about it. Get some endorsements. Fuck around with some Merlot.

How’d you get into wine?

I like to do things when I’m not rapping, and somebody told me to go on
a wine tour. So I went, wound up getting drunk with total strangers. We
had a blast. The shuttle was going from winery to winery, and by the
end of the day, we were all drinking out of the same bottle. “Yo, taste
this shit.” “No, taste this shit.” It was a great human experience.

Do you like touring?

Behind the scenes, it’s tiring. You wake up out the bunk, and go to
the radio station, now go over here, now go over there, now go rap.

But it’s dope to see the people who make you who you are. Shaking
hands with the people who pay my rent.

What city has surprised you the most?

Eugene, Oregon. It wasn’t the biggest crowd, but-I’ve been all over
the world, and been in plenty of places that seem like just another
hick town. But I walked on stage in Eugene and they went crazy,
knew every lyric, line for line for line.

What was the town like?

Well, we did our show on 4/20. Afterward, I hopped in a cab and the
driver rolled up a joint, and yes, I trusted him to drive under the
influence of Mary Jane. He passed the joint to me and I smoked some
fucking weed with the taxi driver. On 4/20 no less. I had to tweet
about that.

REPUBLICAN PARTY WON IN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS – ARMENIAN CENTRAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION

Interfax
May 14 2012
Russia

The Armenian Central Elections Commission has published the final
outcome of the May 6 parliamentary elections, which have brought five
parties and one party bloc to the parliament.

According to the Central Elections Commission, the Republican Party
led by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has received 44.02% of
the votes; the party Prospering Armenia lead by Gagik Tsarukuan, a
prominent businessman and the head of the National Olympic Committee,
has received 30.12% of the votes; the opposition Armenian National
Congress (party bloc) led by Armenia’s ex-president Levon Ter-Petrosyan
has received 7.08% of the votes.

The other parties that have made it to the parliament are the
opposition party Heritage, which ran on the same list as the party Free
Democrats (which has left the Armenian National Congress) with 5,76%
of the votes, the Armenian revolutionary federation Dashnaktsutyuin
with 5,67%, and the party Orinats Yerkir led by National Security
Council Secretary Artur Bagdasaryan with 5.51%.

The Communist Party, the Democratic Pasty, and the party United
Armenians have failed to get the 5% of the votes needed to make it
to the parliament.

A new government will now be formed in Armenia by the Republican Party,
which has received a majority in the parliament.

A total of 1.57 million of the country’s 2.52 million voters have
voted in the elections.

YEREVAN HOSTS ARMENIAN-CZECH POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 15, 2012 – 20:04 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On May 15, Yerevan hosted political consultations
between Foreign Ministries of Armenia and Czech Republic. The Armenian
side was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan,
with First Deputy Foreign Minister JiÅ~Yí Schneider leading the
Czech party, RA MFA press service reported.

Discussion of the current level of the political, economic and cultural
relations between the two countries, prospects of trade turnover and
cultural cooperation, as well as expansion of the legal framework
were in focus of the discussion.

The parties hailed the dynamic development of Armenian- Czech political
dialogue, citing opening of RA embassy in Prague as a proof.

Issues related to enhancing cooperation in European and international
institutions, the Association Agreement talks, prospects of expanding
relations with the EU were also discussed. The meeting participants
further exchanged views on foreign policy priorities, Nagorno Karabakh
conflict resolution and regional security issues.

ARMENIA AND IRAN TO EXPAND INTER-PROVINCE COOPERATION

ARMENPRESS
15 May, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 15, ARMENPRESS: Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia,
Minister of Territorial Administration Armen Gevorgyan received
Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Seyed Ali Saghaian on the occasion of
completing his diplomatic mission.

As press service of Territorial Administration Ministry told
Armenpress, Armen Gevorgyan thanked the ambassador for the productive
cooperation, stressing that it has been expanding in the recent years.

There are important and interesting new projects on the agenda of
the bilateral relations, the implementation of which will promote
rise of the volumes of the trade turnover.

Armen Gevorgyan described as productive the decentralized cooperation
as well. The inter-province ties are dynamically developing between
Armenia and Iran and are expanding the geography. The Deputy Prime
Minister pointed out the ambassador’s personal contribution to the
works and wished successes to the diplomat in his further activity.

The ambassador, for his part, expressed gratification on the
development process of Armenian-Iranian relations, underlining that
the programs indicated for the recent years have been successfully
implemented, and the new ones open wide prospects of cooperation.

Referring to inter-province cooperation, he said that they include
all the spheres.

The diplomat added that he leaves with good memories and will continue
to maintain the tie with Armenia.

ARMENIA AND LATVIA TO DEEPEN COOPERATION IN THE SPHERE OF TOURISM

ARMENPRESS
15 May, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 15, ARMENPRESS: Agreement about cooperation in the sphere
of tourism between Armenia and Latvia will be signed. Armenpress
reports calling the official website of Armenian Government that the
issue is included in the agenda of Government’s May 18 session.

In the statement is said that by signing the agreement favorable
conditions will be formed for developing business relations between
investors in the sphere of tourism (particularly for cultural tourism),
as well as for strengthening relations between public and non-profit
organizations.

In framework of implementation of the agreement sides will encourage
mutual participation in international exhibitions, fairs, conferences,
seminars and other international events which are organized in two
countries, proper presentation of tourism product, mutually will
organize cultural days in two countries which will be favorable for
awareness-raising and increasing tourism flows.

Ministry of Economy of Armenia considers expedient the signing of
the agreement.

WILL RAFFI AND ARAM JOIN IN THE STREET
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 13:39:55 – 15/05/2012

Raffi Hovannisian made a statement which, besides from a fair
assessment of the electoral process of May 6, does not answer the
key question: will the Heritage leader enter parliament or not?

Raffi Hovannisian had doubts still in the previous parliament. Once
he even resigned from parliament but changed his mind and withdrew
his resignation.

Now Hovannisian is one of the possible candidates of the presidential
election. In 2013 he will at last be eligible for the presidential
election since in the previous election he did not have 10 years of
citizenship, which was a Constitutional requirement.

Raffi Hovannisian will take a try of his eligibility. Entering a
parliament elected through rigged elections would be a hindrance to his
attempt. In political terms, not in legal terms, of course, because if
you accept the mandate you are allowed to take, very few will believe
your determination to resist the system in the presidential election.

Raffi Hovannisian needs to make a choice between accepting the
mandate and forming moral and political premises for running in the
presidential election.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan announced that the level of parliamentary
activities is not appropriate for an ex-president.

Perhaps it is worthwhile to add that the level of parliamentary
activities is inappropriate not only for ex-presidents but also
people with presidential ambitions who want to enter this office with
the honest wish and aspiration to bring modernization and freedom
to Armenia.

Hovannisian’s place is the communities, villages, streets, backyards
of Armenia if he intends to create moral and political premises for
running in the presidential election. Running in the presidential
election without this will be more useless than the parliamentary
election because in the parliamentary elections at least you get
seats for 5% while in the presidential election you get nothing.

In order to make a so-called social application for the presidential
election one needs to stay in the street for at least the upcoming
6 or 7 months. It is not a matter of revolution or sit-in. It is a
continuous conversation, discussion with the society, influence on
public moods and environment.

The leader of the Republic Party Aram Zaven Sargsyan who resigned
from parliament hinted at such a tactics.

It is hard to tell whether he is going to run in the presidential
election. He has made no relevant statements but he hinted that another
election is coming in 6-7 months and the opposition needs to review
its activities and adjust it to the society.

However, all through his political biography Aram Zaven Sargsyan
has displayed ability to cede his private position for the common
position. For instance in the presidential election 2003 he was the
first to withdraw from the race to support Stepan Demirchyan though
he had a significant electorate.

Aram Zaven Sargsyan left aside his ambitions during the process of
forming the list of the Armenian National Congress, thus facilitating
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s task of untying the knot of ambitions.

Aram Sargsyan stated to join 90% of the opposition electorate which was
left outside in the street in the result of the parliamentary election.

Aram Sargsyan and Raffi Hovannisian can join in the street, trying
to change the public environment and moods ahead of the presidential
election.

If they succeed in the upcoming months, it would be meaningful to run
in the presidential election. However, the purpose of these street
activities should not be the presidential election or any other
national election.

In Armenia any key act of reform will be predetermined by the
efficiency of work in the street, in the backyard, in the family.

And if they are not successful in inspiring the society for the
election 2013, they should at least be inspired to skip that election.

If Serzh Sargsyan is to be reelected, he should do it alone, without
his legitimization by 5-6 other forces, which will be limited to
allegations and excuses that everyone is venal and serves Serzh
Sargsyan in the morning of the next day of the election, while at night
they will try to reach an agreement with Serzh Sargsyan, something like
“Ostap Ibrahimovish, when will we divide the money?”

EXPERT SAYS IRAN-ARMENIA SHARE NEW PHASE OF ECONOMIC COOPERATION

Panorama.am
15/05/2012

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Iran held a meeting within
the framework of ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM) Coordinating Bureau (COB) in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Panorama.am reporter talked to expert of Iranian studies Rudik Yaralian
focusing on the Armenian-Iranian relations.

-Mister Yaralian, how would you comment on Iranian Foreign
Minister A Salehi’s statement that the two countries should work in
peace and mutual understanding to avoid misinterpretations? Did a
misinterpretation happen after Armenian FM E Nalbandian’s visit to
Tehran on April 29?

-I’m thinking that Salehi’s words have been misinterpreted. Now Iran
and Armenia are sharing a new phase of economic cooperation. Besides,
Iran-Armenia oil pipeline and railway projects are on the agenda and
Russian companies’ pursuit contributes to the growing significance
of those projects in the region. However, Iranian FM did not focus
on those “misinterpretations” in his further thoughts.

-Could it be concluded that Armenia’s complementary foreign policy is
no longer fresh and that Armenia is to choose among geopolitical camps?

-Friendly relations with neighbors should not bare any foreign
negative impact; before describing those relations as geo-political,
they should be observed as a vital factor ensuring the countries’
persistence and survival. This concerns Armenia in particular which
appeared in blockade due to its two neighbors – Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Hence, friendly relations with Iran should first of all be observed
from the national security point, and refrain from making it a topic
of geo-political interests.