Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Armenian CEC refuses proposal of NGO

news.am
March 24, 2012 | 17:00

YEREVAN. – The legislative provision on not charging electoral
observes for expressing their opinion about the elections has been
removed from RA Electoral Code and in regard of this `The choice is
yours’ NGO has proposed to Armenia’s CEC to adopt a decision on that
provision.

As the NGO states in its proposal, the provision was removed from the
Electoral Code by the parliament in 2011.

The NGO proposes the CEC to make a decision which will not charge
electoral observes for their opinions about the election.

The CEC refused the proposal reasoning that only the parliament can
make such decisions and the CEC has not the right to make them, as its
responsibility is to organize the elections and to provide for them to
be transparent and just.

Political expert: The reason why Armenia refused to take part in
Eurovision-2012 is Armenian blood shed in Baku

arminfo
Saturday, March 24, 17:43

The reason why Armenia refused to take part in Eurovision-2012 in Baku
was formed not correctly, political expert Aleksandr Manasyan said at
today’s press-conference.

On 7 March Public TV company of Armenia officially said about the
refusal to take part in Eurovision-2012 in Baku as there is no
guarantee of safety of the Armenian delegation.

Manasyan said that such statements should be made strictly. Armenians
must not behave like victims which are afraid of the militaristic
statements by Azerbaijan. “We have to show to the whole world once
again the true face of the Azerbaijani authorities. The reason why we
do not want to participate in the
contest is the Armenian blood shed in Baku at the beginning of the
90-s, but not the fear of violence”, – the expert said.

Armenian Foreign Minister states that Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship is
the only mediation structure dealing with Nagorno-Karabakh issue

18:50, 24 March, 2012

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS: On the occasion of the 20th anniversary
of the creation of the Minsk Group Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandyan has issued a statement. As Armenpress reports the statement
says. “20 years ago this day by the decision of the Foreign
Ministerial Council of the Conference for Security and Cooperation in
Europe the Minsk process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement
was launched. As a result the Minsk Group and its Co-Chairmanship were
formed with the goal to reach a peaceful settlement through
negotiations, based on the basic principles of international law.
The Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship of Russia, the United States and
France, is the only mediation structure dealing with Nagorno-Karabakh
issue with the relevant mandate of the international community.
The Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group have had an important contribution to
the preservation of the ceasefire, to the reducing of tension in the
conflict zone, to the continuation of negotiations between the sides
and elaborating principles for the peaceful settlement of the
conflict. In the preservation of ceasefire the Co-Chairs are
effectively cooperating with the Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office who has also an important role to the preservation
of ceasefire.
Thanks to the efforts of the Co-Chairs the wholeness of the principles
and elements was elaborated as a basis for the settlement of the
issue, and which are reflected in the joint statements of Presidents
Medvedev, Obama and Sarkozy made at the G8 Summits in L’Aquila,
Muskoka and Deauville.
President of Russia’s consistent efforts with the full support of the
Presidents of the USA and France, with an aim to bring closer the
positions of the sides on basic principles, gave certain results.
Despite the expectations of the international community and Armenia’s
constructive stance, the Kazan meeting initiated by the President
Medvedev did not become a breakthrough.
If a breakthrough has not been achieved in the conflict settlement
until today, it is not because of the lack of efforts by the
Co-Chairs, but due to the non-constructive approach by one of the
sides, which is consecutively rejecting the proposals made by the
Co-Chairs, which is not refraining from the illusion of solving the
issue through use of force, which is not willing to negotiate directly
with Nagorno-Karabakh, a core party to the conflict.
Committed to the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue through
exclusively peaceful means, Armenia highly appreciates the continuous
and consistent efforts of the Co-Chair countries-Russia, the United
States and France, and believes that thanks to mediation efforts in
exactly this format it would be possible to reach a settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue”.

There will be emigration from Armenian community of Syria, but not dissolution

16:12, 24 March, 2012

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS: Though there will be emigration from
the Armenian community of Syria, it is early to speak of dissolution
of the community. Arabologist Armen Petrosyan told a news conference
that though the official Damascus thinks the activities of rebels are
directed toward rousing of ethnic tension, it cannot be perceived
unequivocally, as they mainly focus state structures, Armenpress
reports.

Candidate of Political Sciences Narek Galstyan stressed the Armenian
community needs security guarantees by the state, so it is obvious
that the number of the Armenian community will decrease due to social
state. Armenians mainly resettle in Lebanon, Iran, Canada and Armenia.
The political scientist considers Armenia cannot undertake anything in
this case and has repeatedly stated that it stands up for home
stability of Syria.

Armenian man kills sister’s husband to protect her honor

news.am
March 24, 2012 | 16:08

YEREVAN. – Armenian Police have solved the murder, which was committed
on November 6, 2011 at Arzni Hydro Power Plant (HPP), where Lilit
Naghdalyan’s brother had killed her husband. The Police Press Service
likewise confirmed this information gathered by Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In addition, the Police informed that they received information on
Wednesday that the dead body of an unidentified man was found in the
pressure water pool of the HPP located in Nor Hachn city. It was found
out that the body was that of Hovhannes Naghdalyan, 35, who was wanted
by the Police ever since November 14, 2011.

An autopsy was conducted on Friday, and as a result cut and piercing
wounds were discovered on Naghdalyan’s body. A criminal case was
launched.

It became apparent that Hovhannes Naghdalyan’s brother-in-law Arman
Chobanyan, 31, had argued with Naghdalyan, and, subsequently, they had
gone to Arzni HPP’s water channel to settle scores. At the site,
Chobanyan had stabbed Naghdalyan and thrown him into the water
channel.

Arman Chobanyan is taken into custody.

And according to the information Armenian News-NEWS.am has
ascertained, Hovhannes Naghdalyan was previously convicted.
Furthermore, he had met with her future wife while in prison, and by
way of social networking. And after being released, Naghdalyan had
frequently argued with her wife.

Armenian, Ukrainian customs agencies sign cooperation memorandum

news.am
March 24, 2012 | 15:43

YEREVAN. – The State Revenue Committee (SRC) of Armenia and the State
Customs Service of Ukraine signed a memorandum of joint activities.

This program envisions cooperation between the customs services of the
two countries, SRC Press Service informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

A Ukrainian delegation led by Igor Kaletnik, Chairman of the State
Customs Service of Ukraine, is in Armenia on a working visit. The
objective of the visit is to discuss matters concerning experience
exchange and bilateral cooperation between SRC and the State Customs
Service of Ukraine.

During Saturday’s meeting, the heads of the two customs services also
reflected on the future relaxation of the clearance procedures for
Armenian shipments at the Poti-Ilyichevsk border sector, which will
contribute to strengthening the trade and economic ties between both
countries.

Canadian-Armenians protest Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggression

March 24, 2012 – 10:53 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Hundreds of Canadian-Armenians from across the
country took part in a demonstration on Friday, March 23 at the
Embassy of Azerbaijan in Ottawa, organized by the Armenian Youth
Federation of Canada.

The demonstrators voiced their concern about Azerbaijan’s ongoing
aggression, intimidation and hostility towards Armenians. They chanted
slogans targeting Azerbaijan’s continued aggression toward Armenia,
the atrocities and pogroms of Sumgait and Baku, as well as the
cultural genocide of Armenian heritage sites within Azerbaijan. They
also highlighted the current situation in the Nagorno Karabakh,
proclaiming that Armenians have the right to live freely without
Azerbaijani constraint and hostility.

The government of Azerbaijan has actively continued a policy of
hostility against Armenians; from exile and pogroms in the late 1980s,
to the constant war-mongering rhetoric, ever-increasing military
budget and threats to end the cease-fire with the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic that continue until today. Moreover, the planned destruction
of Armenian Khachkars (cross-stones) in the Nakhijevan region (Julfa),
which are now declared as items of world heritage by UNESCO, proves to
the world that Azerbaijan has been taking active steps towards erasing
the memory of Armenians from their country.

Unfortunately, the Embassy of Azerbaijan refused to accept a letter
addressed to Ambassador Farid Shafiyev, written by the Armenian Youth
Federation of Canada. This lack of dialogue further proves
Azerbaijan’s ongoing unwillingness to establish peace and stability in
the region.

The Armenian-Canadian community proved, once again, that they believe
that the Nagorno Karabakh Republic’s independence must be universally
recognized and that a return to Azerbaijani rule would jeopardize the
lives of the Armenians living there and is therefore unacceptable.
Furthermore, they urged governments around the world to condemn
Azerbaijan for their continued display of religious intolerance,
aggression, and constant attempts to destabilize the Caucasus.

Founded in 1934, the Armenian Youth Federation of Canada is the
largest and most influential Armenian-Canadian youth organization in
Canada, working to advance social, political, educational, and
cultural awareness among Armenian-Canadian youth.

Expert: Azeri attempts to change OSCE MG format won’t affect talks

March 24, 2012 – 14:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Azerbaijan has repeatedly tried to alter the format
of OSCE Minsk Group, as well as transfer the issue to the UN,
political expert Alexander Manasyan said.

`Azerbaijan always tried to find `suitable’ mediators, believing thus
it can push the negotiation process to favour it,’ he told a press
conference in Yerevan.

`Irrespective of whether France will be replaced by EU or not,
everything will depend on immediate participants of the negotiation
process. The only prerequisite for some changes may be EU’s offer of
proposals and attitudes, new in principle, to the conflict
resolution,’ he said.

`Mediators play the part of mere advisers, and they cannot force the
parties to take decisions that harm them,’ the expert added.

On March 23, European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs
adopted a document on Armenia, proposing to replace France’s mandate
in OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement with that
of the European Union. The document is to be put to vote at European
Parliament’s plenary session supposedly in a month.

Hraparak: Armenia’s Police Chief brings woman law officers out into Sun

news.am
March 23, 2012

YEREVAN. – As the warm spring days have arrived, Armenia’s Police
Chief Vladimir Gasparyan has also brought female police officers out
into the Sun, Hraparak daily writes.

`There was a `special’ service outside on the day of the Government’s
regular session [on Thursday]. This time woman police, who were more
reserved and taciturn than the male ones, were monitoring the
participants of the permanent demonstration. To note, Gasparyan has
formed a patrolling organization whose representatives speak several
languages and have certain skills. Close to forty percent here are
women,’ Hraparak writes.

EU not best mediator in Karabakh conflict settlement

15:27, 24 March, 2012

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan uses its associates to
replace France by the EU in the process of settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh issue. Political analyst Alexander Manasyan said the EU
cannot enter the negotiation process. “Even if the flows of the talks
will change, the good and the harm will depend on the policy we will
continue,” the political analyst stressed.

While it is necessary to voice that Azerbaijan has been recognized
with non legitimate borders, in the territories not belonging to it
and regulate the NK conflict in accordance with the international
rights.

Manasyan said it is necessary to remind the world its share of guilt
in the processes in Armenia”s history. “If the world refuses to
penalize the denial of the genocide it means it legalizes genocide,”
the political analyst said.