Author: Kalantarian Kevo

U.S. EMBASSY IN BAKU NOT TO FILE COMPLAINT AGAINST CNN ON REPORT ABOUT ARTSAKH

Panorama
Oct 5 2011
Armenia

CNN is a private television station which itself forms its own
editorial policy, spokesperson for the United States Embassy in Baku
Keith Bean said commenting upon a report aired by CNN about excavations
in the ancient city of Tigranakert, Nagorno-Karabakh. The report is
also available on Youtube.

According to 1news.az, Keith Bean noted that the U.S. government
cannot in any way influence editorial policies of CNN or any other
private TV channel.

“If you have any questions related to CNN, you should ask them from
the TV channel itself,” Bean added.

LA POLICE DEMANDE AUX MILITANTS DU HAK D’ARRETER LES MANIFESTATIONS
Laetitia

armenews.com
mercredi 5 octobre 2011

Le vice-president du HHK (parti republicain) a critique la police
armenienne mardi de ne pas avoir disperse les militants qui se sont
mobilises place de Liberte dans la capitale.

Galust Sahakian a evoque un soulèvement qui pourrait etre meurtrier,
comme il l’a ete après les presidentielles de 2008.

La police a cependant signifie au Congrès national armenien (HAK) que
ce rassemblement etait illegal. Cependant, les autorites municipales ne
l’ont pas interdit. Lors d’une declaration ce week-end, les autorites
municipales ont indique que les forces de securite ne forceront pas
les manifestants a partir pour le moment.

Sahakian a annonce aux journalistes qu’il souhaitait interdire
cette manifestation de l’opposition, car meme limitee a un jour,
elle constitue une violation de la loi.

il a affirme que la police devrait interdire ces rassemblements.

Des representants du parti presidentiel et de la coalition ont decrit
lundi les actions de l’opposition comme illegales.

La police et les forces de securite ont deja utilise la force
pour arreter les manifestations du 1er mars 2008 qui avaient ete
organisees par le leader du HAK, Levon Ter-Petrosian après les
elections presidentielles.

Huit manifestants et deux personnes de la securite sont decedes suite
a ces manifestations.

Sahakian a affirme que ces violences pourraient a nouveau se repeter.

“Les evenements du 1er mars 2008 ont eu lieu car les autorites n’ont
pas obligees les manifestants a stopper leur mobilisation et nous ne
sommes pas parvenus a contrôler la foule”.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION LAUNCHES WEEK OF ROUND-THE-CLOCK PROTESTS DEMANDING SNAP ELECTIONS

Global Insight
October 3, 2011

BYLINE: Lilit Gevorgyan

The Armenian National Congress (HAK) launched a week of round-the-clock
protests on 30 September. Around 6,000 protestors gathered at the
iconic central Freedom Square in the capital Yerevan at a regular
protest organised by HAK. In an unusual move, the protestors refused
to disperse and called on the HAK leaders to resort to more drastic
measures. Despite the initial reluctance the HAK leaders convened
a short meeting after which it was declared that a week of non-stop
demonstration will take place. The protesters demand early and fair
presidential and parliamentary elections. According to the latest
media reports after two days of protests the police has told the
demonstrators to end the sit-in rally.

Significance:The protestors’ determination to adopt more aggressive
tactics and induce political change is indicative of their frustration
with the lack of any significant progress in the talks between the
Armenian opposition parties, united under HAK, and the government. The
only tangible outcome of the seven months of talks has been the
release of political prisoners. However, the authorities are not
showing any signs of further compromise. Furthermore, the majority
of the Armenian population, despite the deepening social discontent,
remain reluctant to follow HAK and its leader, the first Armenian
president Levon Ter-Petrossian. He is often blamed for failing to
see a true democratic election back in mid 1990s, something that he
never has been held accountable for. Moreover, the determination of
the protestors to effectively lead the leaders of HAK proves that
the problem with the Armenian opposition movement is not the voter
apathy but weak political leadership. Should the police resort to
violence the situation may escalate and bring in other elements of
the political opposition that so far have not been active on the scene.

DISCUSSION ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH’S RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION HELD IN CALIFORNIA

Panorama
Oct 4 2011
Armenia

On September 30, 2011, NKR representative Robert Avetisyan arrived in
San Francisco, California, to participate in the community briefing
“Nagorno Karabakh’s Right to Self-Determination”, Office of NKR in
USA reports. The briefing was organized by the Northern California
Regional Council of the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) and local
St. Vardan’s Cultural Committee. The AAA Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny briefed the audience about the activity of Washington-based
Armenian lobbying organizations, while Andrew Lyons, VP of the HALO
Trust organization, presented on the ongoing project of clearance
of landmines and unexploded ordnance in Artsakh implemented by the
HALO Trust.

In his speech, Artsakh’s Representative touched upon the history of
proclamation of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in September 1991. He
stressed the importance of the historic decision, and underlined that
the people in Artsakh had enjoyed their right for self-determination in
full compliance with then acting Soviet legislation and international
norms. Representative has also highlighted the republic’s democratic
and economic achievements , as well as explained the remaining
challenges. An intensive Q&A followed the speakers’ presentations
covering various topics around Artsakh.

On the next day, Robert Avetisyan has met with the professors and
students of the University of California, Berkeley. A lecture “The
Independent Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Artsakh: The First Twenty
Years of Challenges and Achievements” was sponsored by the Armenian
Studies Program and the Institute for Slavic, East European and
Eurasian Studies. Avetisyan presented the historical, legal and moral
preconditions for establishment of the NKR, as well as described the
present situation in the republic, and the development prospects.

After the lecture and Q&A session, the audience watched a brief
documentary on Artsakh.

‘AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL’: AZERBAIJAN TARGETS LEADING ACTIVISTS TO SILENCE OPPOSITION

Panorama
Oct 4 2011
Armenia

“Amnesty International” called on Azerbaijani authorities to
immediately release three leading opposition activists imprisoned
for organizing and taking part in peaceful protests, “Turan” news
agency informs.

A court in Baku sentenced Arif Hajili, Chairman of the Musavat Party,
Tural Abbasli, head of Musavat’s Youth Organization and Mahammad
Majidli, of the Popular Front Party (PFP) to two and a half years
each in prison on Monday.

“Today, few critical voices are tolerated in Azerbaijan. Increasingly,
the government is targeting leading activists in an attempt to
silence the opposition, and in the hope that making examples out of
the most outspoken will dissuade others from speaking out,” said
Nicola Duckworth, Amnesty International’s Director for Europe and
Central Asia.

G. SAHAKYAN: WE ARE NOT TOYS

Aysor.am
Tuesday,October 04

“I was against our delegation to go for that dialogue ceremonially.

Dialogue is a continuous process, it is not an obligatory process. I
think it is senseless if you want to implement your political project
and you hold a dialogue in the Reception House. It can’t be realized,
we are not toys,” RPA vice president Galust Sahakyan told referring
to the suspended dialogue.

The NA deputy mentioned once more that the dialogue goes on till
now but not at the Reception House: “I don’t see content in this
format. I think it would be better if we continued the dialogue but
with equal means.”

ARMENIA 89TH IN FORBES’ BEST COUNTRIES FOR BUSINESS RANKING

Tert.am
04.10.11

Armenia is the world’s 89th best country for business, according
to Forbes.

It has considerably improved its positions since last year, having
climbed from the 96th to the 89th place.

In the list of 130 countries, Armenia ranks the 41st in the trade
freedom index, the 64th – in the monetary freedom index, the 106th –
in property rights and innovations, the 83rd – in the technology index,
the 10th – in the red tape and investor protection indices, the 100th –
in the personal freedom index and the 117th – in the tax burden index.

The top three countries in this year’s ranking are Canada, New Zealand
and Hong Kong.

CATHOLICOS ARAM I TO BEGIN PONTIFICAL VISIT THURSDAY

asbarez
Monday, October 3rd, 2011

More than 1,000 Armenian Christian Faithful expected to attend Official
Welcome and “Achahampouyr” Blessing Service

LOS ANGELES-An overjoyed and eager community awaits with great
anticipation the arrival, to the Western United States, of His Holiness
Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia and spiritual leader
of Armenian Diaspora communities in the Middle East, Europe and North
America. His Holiness will embark on His fourth Pontifical Visit to
the Western United States from the Holy See headquarters in Antelias,
Lebanon on October 6. Over the course of the following 20 days, until
October 23rd, His Holiness will deliver His Pontifical blessings
and inspiring message to throngs of faithful at various churches,
events and venues. His last Pontifical Visit to the region was in
October of 2005.

The first and largest of His Holiness’ official visits will be to St.

Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church in Hollywood, California where over
1,000 Christian faithful are expected to receive the paternal blessings
of His Holiness and for the Pontiff to share His thoughts and message
with the community during a very special Community-wide welcome and
Pontifical “Achahampouyr” blessing service. This event is open to the
community and all are invited to attend and encouraged to take part.

The Pontifical Visit schedule encompasses various meetings with local
students and young adults, a special lecture at UCLA on the subject
of the Future of Christianity in the Middle East, a presentation
of the Pontiff’s latest book, visits to our churches, meetings with
dignitaries, ecumenical engagements and much more.

LEBANESE PARLIAMENT SPEAKER HOPES NK ISSUE TO SOON BE SETTLED

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 4, 2011
YEREVAN

“We have expressed our gratification over the Armenian-Turkish
negotiations that launched in 2008. Turkey’s “Zero Issues” policy
demands concessions with the neighboring states, for the sake
of economic development of peoples and raise of the social life”,
Speaker of Parliament of Lebanon Nabih Berry said at the RA National
Assembly today.

“We wish that the parliament of Turkey hurries to ratify the protocols
you have signed more than two years ago”, he said.

According to him, Arab people are interested in complete settlement
of issues and look forward to the opening of Armenian-Turkish border.

He also voiced hope that Nagorno Karabakh issue will finally be
settled taking into consideration the “viewpoint of the residents
of the mentioned territory”. “In the pre-context of good-neighborly
relations we deny illegal encroachments against other state, at the
same time we deny interference into the iternal affairs of any state”,
the Lebanese parliament speaker.

ANOC: BAKU WON’T GO AWAY WITH ARMENIAN BOXERS’ ATTACK

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 4, 2011 – 13:35 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian National Olympic Committee (ANOC)
expressed displeasure over recent attack on Armenian boxers at
Baku-hosted AIBA World Championships.

“Despite indignation over the incident, we have to show restraint,
lest the rush might affect the performance of Armenian boxers. Upon
Armenian delegation’s return and discovery of more detail, we’ll
take relevant steps of which we’ll additionally inform the public,”
ANOC official statement said.

Armenian boxers, participating in Baku-hosted AIBA World Championships,
were attacked. A group of Karbakh Liberation Organization (KLO)
supporters infiltrated the championship venue. As the Armenian
boxer was entering the ring, their shouts “Armenians, get out!”,
“Karabakh or death” were followed by a deluge of stones. The match
was suspended. The Armenian boxer, judges and referee left the venue.

Andranik Hakobyan (75kg) remains the only Armenian, retaining a chance
to win entry to 2012 London Olympics.

The remaining boxers, who dropped out of championship, have already
returned to Armenia.