Author: Kalantarian Kevo

RUSSIAN EXPERT: UNLIKE MEDVEDEV, PUTIN HAS NO ILLUSIONS REGARDING KARABAKH CONFLICT

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 14, 2012 – 14:54 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Russian political scientist Andrey Ryabov believes
Russia does not need escalation of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

AZE.az reports that leading specialist of the Institute of World
Economy and International Relations, editor-in-chief of the World
Economy and International Relations magazine of the Russian Academy
of Sciences, expert of “Gorbachyov Fundation” and Moscow Carnegie
Foundation Andrey Ryabov said that with Vladimir Putin back to the
president’s post, Russia’s stance to Karabakh conflict settlement
will not undergo principle changes.

“Maybe, the three presidents will hold fewer meetings. Maybe,
optimistic rhetoric will be cut. Medveded honestly believed that
a bit more efforts will secure a breakthrough. I think Putin has
no illusions in this regard. The process will be continued simply
because it has only one alternative, and it is a very bad one, namely,
the resumption of hostilities. Russia does not need such a conflict,
be it either Medvedev or Putin,” Ryabov said.

In response to the question whether the expert sees any alternative
to France as a Minsk Group co-chair country, Andrey Ryabov said the
member state of the peace process no longer enjoys trust of a conflict
party, and this cannot but be considered. “I do not see a solution
yet able to reconcile the two parties. Given the situation, I think
France should become more active and propose some new initiatives or
at least measures to continue the peace process.”

SLOVAK DELEGATION HOSTED IN KARABAKH MAY BE INCLUDED IN BAKU’S “BLACK LIST”

ARMENPRESS
BEBRUARY 14, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, ARMENPRESS: Official Baku is again in panic.

Citing Azerbaijani media, Armenpress reports that the Foreign Ministry
of that country is investigating the visit of a group of investors
from Slovak Republic to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. Spokesperson for
the Azerbaijani FM Elman Abdulaev stated that in case the information
is confirmed Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry will express its position.

Azerbaijan has included a number of top officials, public and political
figures of different countries who visited the NKR in the “black list”
of Baku.

The group of investors from Slovakia was headed by the First President
of the National Council of Slovak Republic František Mikloško. The
Slovakian delegation discussed with the NKR’s top officials a number
of issues on creation of different bilateral ties, implementation of
programs on intensification of further contacts, outlined the ways
and means of doing it.

ELECTRONIC AUCTION SYSTEM TO REDUCE CORRUPTION RISKS IN ARTSAKH

ARMENPRESS
BEBRUARY 14, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, ARMENPRESS: The compulsory enforcement of
judicial orders services of justice ministries of Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh signed today program on implementation of cooperation programs
for 2012-2013. The program has been prepared on the basis of memorandum
signed in Stepanakert, March 26 2010.

Head of Armenia’s service Mihran Poghosyan told the reporters the
signing of a memorandum is a step for organization of electronic
auction in Artsakh. “Armenia was one of the first countries to apply
electronic auction system which witnesses about the progress of the
service. It may promote contacts with the public and decrease the
direct factor of compulsory enforcement which brings to reduction
of corruption risks,” Poghosyan said. He noted that the difficulty
of investment of the system in Artsakh is agreed with the lack of
Internet coverage which is a solvable issue.

MATENADARAN GRANTED STATUS OF BASIC ORGANIZATION

ARMENPRESS
BEBRUARY 14, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, ARMENPRESS: Sitting of the task group dealing
with the issue on giving status of basic establishments took place
at the CIS Executive Committee in Minsk with the participation of
representatives of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan,
Ukraine.

An official from the Ministry of Culture told Armenpress that
“Matenadaran” Mesrop Mashtots Old Manuscript Scientific-Research
Institute applied to get the status of basic organization. The activity
of Matenadaran, its international cooperation toward protection and
restoration of cultural heritage, 2012 programs were presented. Film
presenting new building of Matenadaran was also shown.

The task group has accepted the proposal of Armenia and granted Mesrop
Mashtots Old Manuscript Scientific-Research Institute the status of
basic organization.

The activity of basic organization supposes working out
scientific-methodological directions, publication of manuals,
implementation of educational programs, organization of conferences,
round tables.

ARMENIA’S NEXT PARLIAMENT TO INCLUDE HAK, HHK, BHK, BUT NOT ARF-D OR HERITAGE PARTY: STRATEGIST

epress.am
02.14.2012

The Armenian National Congress (HAK), the Republican Party of Armenia
(HHK) and Prosperous Armenia (BHK) might have nearly an equal number
of seats in the parliament to be elected in May 2012, if HAK and BHK
intelligently cooperate and not allow HHK to “paint” the numbers (i.e.
fix the votes), said electoral and political strategist Armen Badalyan,
speaking to journalists in the capital today.

According to Badalyan, these three are the most influential forces in
politics, while the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun,
or ARF-D) and the Heritage Party are among the second, less influential
category of political parties.

“I very much doubt that ARF-D will find a place in the next
parliament. ARF-D has a tendency to regress – there’s no reason for
this to change. Supporters of an Armenia ‘from sea to sea’ haven’t
increased; ARF-D leaders haven’t changed.

“The Heritage Party also doesn’t have potential. It’s a leader-based
party, and [its leader] Raffi Hovannisian makes an appearance in the
[political] arena once in a million,” he said.

The remaining parties – according to Badalyan, “dead” OEK (Orinats
Yerkir or Rule of Law) and “virtual” parties such as the Free
Democrats, the communists and so on – have no chance of getting into
the National Assembly.

“There will be painting [fudging the numbers], but to what extent
is the question. If it doesn’t cooperate reasonably, HAK won’t lose
anything – it will continue to remain opposition, while for BHK this
period is decisive. BHK won’t be forgiven for not becoming HHK’s
attache,” he said.

Weighing in on the possible BHK-HAK collaboration, political analyst
Karen Kocharyan, also speaking at today’s press conference, said this
will never happen as BHK won’t become an opposition force. According
to him, BHK from the start has never been a political force and the
only political face of that party is MP Naira Zohrabyan.

“There will be few [incidents of] traditional electoral fraud. Votes
will be bought. This was proven also by the Hrazdan elections,”
he said.

BROUGHT TO POLLING STATIONS WERE PEOPLE WHO SHOULDN’T HAVE VOTED: NIKOL PASHINYAN ON HRAZDAN ELECTIONS

epress.am
02.14.2012

Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”) chief editor Nikol Pashinyan
(pictured) in his editorial today described what he saw while observing
as opposition candidate Sasun Mikaelyan’s proxy at polling station
25/16 during the Feb. 12 Hrazdan mayoral elections.

Pashinyan notes that in this particular polling station, there were
1,890 registered voters, 1,353 of which voted. Incumbent Aram Danielyan
received 656 votes while Sasun Mikaelyan, 653. Forty-four votes were
declared invalid.

Though there were no flagrant incidents and everyone who wanted
to vote made it to the polling station before it closed, Pashinyan
noted, brought to the polling station were people who “under normal
circumstances shouldn’t have voted.”

The opposition representative cited an example of a 70-year-old man
with tears in his eyes describing how he underwent surgery two days
ago but was brought to the polling station from intensive care to
vote. Receiving his ballot, he went to the booth and began to ask
out loud how he should vote. One of the electoral commission members
explained to him that there are two candidates and he can vote for
whoever he wants. The man then came out of the booth with his ballot
open and everyone could see that he had filled it out incorrectly. It
was then explained to him how to properly insert a check next to
the candidate’s name and he was given a new ballot, but not before
Pashinyan saw that he had voted for Aram Danielyan.

Pashinyan explains that this was not the only such incident.

Apparently, brought to the polling stations were elderly men and
women who were physically unwell, who “had difficulty saying one or
two words,” and who upon arrival announced that they were unable
to vote independently and thus, voted guided by the assistance of
their grandchildren or other individuals. Also brought to vote were
the mentally ill who voted the same way and, “naturally, in Aram
Danielyan’s favor.” There were frequent incidents of confused voters
and open ballots that were returned and filled in again, but in the
process, their vote for the incumbent was evident, Pashinyan noted.

The Haykakan Jamanak chief editor also cited several cases of Armenians
with Russian passports. “These people have been living in Armenia
these past few weeks or perhaps days, and come what may, they will
again depart for Russia, because they have no other way of feeding
their families… and many of those who came to 25/16 polling station
perhaps are participating in elections in Armenia for the last time –
many of them will leave and never return.”

“I tried to recall how many prosperous people or even those in ‘middle
class’ dress I saw at 25/16 polling station. I can count them on my
fingers,” he added.

Pashinyan concludes by pointing to the fact that though Aram Danielyan
received 656 votes, “how many of those 656 citizens consider
Danielyan’s victory theirs? I guarantee, not more than 50. The
rest voted not because they decided, but because they were forced –
others decided for them The proof of this was the citizen brought
from the hospital who, receiving a ballot, was crying that he was
operated on just two days ago, but today he was forced to come to
the polling station.”

CONSULTANT IS ANNOUNCED FOR RENOVATION OF ARMENIA’S VOROTAN HYDRO POWER PLANTS

news.am
February 14, 2012 | 10:31

YEREVAN. – The Turkish SOCOIN Ingenieria y Construccion Industrial
Company made a query, with Armenia’s Energy and Natural Resources
Ministry, with respect to participation in the tender for the
renovation of Vorotan hydro power plants, informs the Ministry’s
bulletin presented to the Government.

After the query, however, the Turkish company did not present a
tender offer. And from the three organizations which offered a bid,
Germany’s Fichtner GmbH & Co.KG Company was declared the winner.

The consulting service price is 2.7 million euros.

NKR President visits Greece

armradio.am
13.02.2012 11:42

President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan is paying
a working visit to Greece.

On 12 February President visited Armenian churches in Athens. Bako
Sahakyan partook at a Sunday mass served by Primate of the Artsakh
Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan
at the St. Mary church.

Thereafter Bako Sahakyan met at the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
some members of the ARF Central Committee of Greece, the Regional
Committee of the Ramkavar Azatakan Party, Armenian People’s Movement,
the Greek-Armenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Bako Sahakyan met also with representatives of the Armenian mass
media of Greece, Central Information Department of the Office of the
NKR President reported.

INTOLERABL !
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
lundi 13 fevrier 2012

VALERIE BOYER

Après des menaces de viol et de mort, les attaques, insultes, menaces
et accusations se multiplient contre la personne de la deputee
francaise Valerie Boyer.

Le reseau social Facebook est devenu, en quelques semaines, le
lieu privilegie où des individus francais d’origine turque et ou de
nationalite turque deversent insanites, posts racistes et haine a
l’encontre de celle par qui la loi penalisant la negation de tous
les genocides dont celui des Armeniens, a ete adoptee par la France
le 23 janvier 2012.

Cela devient intolerable, inacceptable et condamnable lorsque l’on
decouvre une page Facebook intitulee “Valerie Boyer” Chienne” Nous
nions le soit-disant “Genocide” Armenien. .

Voici egalement ce qu’on peut y voir

Sur sa propre page, un odieux personnage, originaire d’Amasya (Turquie)
ecrit dans le texte : vs ete une chienne de garde un pure produit
du racism , et du neocolonialism , via les patron , et les lobys de
merde que tu represente , tu es a chier , tu es une merde , tu es
just un vagin , qui souvrte et qu ce referme pr obeir a tes metres
qui mettent leurs doits dn dns trou de balllllllll

De tels debordements ne peuvent perdurer et doivent etre signales,
tant au Ministère des Affaires etrangères qu’a l’ambassade de France
a Ankara et au reseau Facebook.

TIME TO REMOVE FRANCE AS KARABAKH MEDIATOR – ERDOGAN

News.Az
Mon 13 February 2012 06:56 GMT | 6:56 Local Time

The Turkish prime minister has said that France should be removed as
a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

The group is the international body mediating a settlement to the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Nicolas Sarkozy has openly shown his support for the Armenian
position. Therefore, France should be removed from the Minsk Group
now,” Erdogan said in an interview with Azerbaijan’s ANS TV, Gun.Az
reported.

His comments follow the French Senate’s vote to criminalize the denial
of genocide, including the denial of Armenian claims of genocide in
1915 in Ottoman Turkey.

Through the resolution France “proved its biased position in the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue and thereby lost its credibility”, Erdogan said.

He thought that USA and Russia could cope with the mediating role if
France leaves the Minsk Group.

“Of course, a decision should be reached in this protracted conflict
with the intervention of the UN Security Council. We believe that
if the US and Russia agree, a third country can be chosen. No one
has the right to cause so much agony for Azerbaijan. Nakhchivan,
Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh remain apart from each other. They are
all waiting for the resolution. And this resolution does not exist. We
hope that the resolution will be achieved and the conflict will end.”

The prime minister said that Turkey’s Azerbaijani brothers both
in France and Azerbaijan were doing their utmost to oppose what he
described as the “fabricated genocide” issue.

“Turkey and Azerbaijan should continue their unity and support not
just on this but on all issues and take no backward steps.”