Author: Kalantarian Kevo

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN: SITUATION SHOULD BE CHANGED UNTIL THE END OF APRIL

19:06 | March 28,2014 | Politics

The rally organized by the opposition Heritage Party started at
Yerevan’s Liberty square under the national anthem and in the rain.

“We are continuing our struggle,” Heritage leader Raffi Hovannisian
said in his address. “The aim of this meeting is to express our wish
to live in a sovereign and legal Armenia, call for extraordinary
elections and make the government hand power to people. Our aim is
to make this a united square for everyone.”

Commenting on Armenia’s decision to vote against the UN resolution
that declares the Crimea referendum and Russia’s annexation of the
Crimea illegal, Mr Hovannisian said, “They were unable to abstain
from voting on the resolution as did China and Kazakhstan.

“As long as the acting authorities are in power, we can forget about
the international recognition of the Genocide, Artsakh sovereignty
and territorial integrity. We can forget about environmental and
national interests. Looting, inflation, sale of national property,
gas and energy deals will continue unless the illegitimate authorities
are unseated,” he said.

“The change of power should be started from the highest echelons. All
those you believe in this imperative – be it an extra-parliamentary
force, a freedom fighter, a peasant or a citizen – should join us
and build a united square,” he said adding that the situation in the
country should be changed until the end of April.

ARTSAKH REPUBLIC PRESIDENT BAKO SAHAKYAN PARTOOK IN A SOLEMN CEREMONY OF HANDING OVER KEYS FROM A NEWLY BUILT DWELLING HOUSE LOCATED AT THE VARDAN MAMIKONYAN ST. 7 OF CAPITAL STEPANAKERT

Friday, 28 March 2014 10:55

On 28 March Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan partook in a
solemn ceremony of handing over keys from a newly built dwelling
house located at theVardan Mamikonyan St. 7 of capital Stepanakert.

The Head of the State underlined that the authorities of the
republic would go on providing with housing the families of perished
freedom-fighters, veterans of the Artsakh liberation war with first
disability group, the Defense Army servicemen and demobilized soldiers
as well as families with many children.

President Sahakyan expressed gratitude to philanthropists Edgar
Aramyan and Vassily Sargsyan for participating in this process,
qualifying it as a patriotic initiative.

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, National Assembly speaker Ashot
Ghoulyan, prime-minister Ara Haroutyunyan, other officials and guests
from abroad were present at the event.

CENTRAL INFORMATION DEPARTMENT

OF THE OFFICE OF THE ARTSAKH REPUBLIC President

DEFENSE MINISTRY: AZERBAIJAN VIOLATED CEASEFIRE IN TAVUSH DIRECTION, ARMENIAN SIDE RETURNED FIRE

15:12 28/03/2014 >> SOCIETY

Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire in some sections of the border in
Armenia’s Tavush province yesterday, spokesman for Armenian Defense
Ministry Artsrun Hovhannisyan told Panorama.am.

According to him, the Armenian side returned the fire. “We have no
casualties,” the spokesman added.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMENIA SHOULD HAVE EITHER ABSTAINED FROM VOTING OR NOT VOTED ON UN RESOLUTION ON CRIMEA – POLITICAL TECHNOLOGIST

March 28, 2014 | 11:30

YEREVAN. – In mere diplomatic terms, it would have been better if
Armenia either had abstained from voting or not voted on the UN
General Assembly resolution that recognizes Ukraine’s territorial
integrity and the inviolability of its borders.

Political technologist Karen Kocharyan told the aforementioned
toArmenian News-NEWS.am.

“If we [Armenia] vote in favor of territorial integrity, this means we
have to vote also in favor of Azerbaijan’s ‘territorial integrity;’
that is, in this case we would vote against the precept of the
self-determination of nations.

“Merely in terms interests, we should be more in favor of the precept
of the self-determination of nations because we have a Karabakh issue.

But in mere diplomatic terms, it would have been right to either not
vote or abstain from voting [at the UN],” Kocharyan noted.

But he expressed confidence that this decision will in no way affect
Armenian-Ukrainian relations which, in his view, will flare up,
but nothing will happen.

“Since there is no direct conflict of interests between Armenia
and Ukraine, it [i.e., Armenia’s vote at the UN] will not leave any
further consequence,” the analyst said.

In his words, Armenia’s positions in the international arena are
already fairly weak.

“The important thing is how we behave during various general
international contacts and on keeping arrangements,” Karen Kocharyan
noted.

As reported earlier, Armenia was among the eleven countries that
on Thursday voted against the UN General Assembly resolution which
declares invalid Crimea’s recent referendum calling for joiningRussia.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

CANADA’S NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONDEMNS KESSAB ATTACKS

13:52 28.03.2014

Canada, Kessab, Syria

Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) Foreign Affairs critic Paul Dewar
(Ottawa Centre) has issued the following statement regarding the
attacks in Kessab:

“New Democrats continue to be shocked by the terrible violence of the
conflict in Syria, which has killed over 120,000 people and displaced
millions of civilians. I am deeply saddened by the recent attacks by
extremist militants on the ancient and culturally significant Armenian
community of Kessab and the forced evacuation of its residents.

“Such attacks on civilians, and the targeting of ethnic or religious
minorities, are unacceptable and must be vigourously condemned by the
international community. The perpetrators should be brought to justice.

“The NDP has written to the Minister of Foreign Affairs to request
that Canada set aside a portion of its humanitarian assistance for
the conflict in Syria to specifically ensure that minority groups,
including ethnic and religious minorities such as Armenian and
Christian populations, receive the help they need. Canada should
show leadership in targeting its assistance to help those most at
risk from the devastating physical, social, and economic impacts of
the Syrian conflict.

“The Government of Canada must also work in concert with its
international partners to maximize civilian protections in Syria
and the surrounding region. Canada should also play a leading role
in pursuing a lasting political solution that includes security,
justice, and peace for all people in Syria.”

Wayne Merry: US won’t link position on Genocide in 2015 with Armenian
position on Crimea

March 30, 2014 | 01:01

White House won`t link its position on Genocide recognition in 2015
with Armenian position on Crimea, told Wayne Merry, Senior Fellow for
Europe and Eurasia with the American Foreign Policy Council, to
Armenia News – NEWS.amcorrespondent. If the United States government
says anything about the Armenian Genocide, it will do so on the
historical basis and will not try to tie that issue with any other
one, particularly with nothing concerning Crimea. , he told.

Speaking on Armenia`s position on Crimea, he told he couldn`t find it
particularly surprising. , he told. Still, he
found it too soon to say how the situation about Crimea may affect
relations between Washington and Yerevan.

On March 27, Armenia voted against the UN non-binding resolution
against Crimea secession in the General Assembly, along with 10 other
states, including Russia and Belarus.

Speaking further on the rationale of the position of Armenia, who
sought the prevalence of the right of self-determination of peoples
over the principle of territorial integrity, he told that it`s
difficult to draw comparisons between the cases of Crimea and Nagorno
Karabakh.

The problem for the United States, he added, is its sponsorship of the
independence of Kosovo. It has created a significant precedent, which
the Russian government has been eager to apply in the case of Crimea,
even though these two are not exactly comparable, he told.

, he added.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Azerbaijan becomes active, Armenian side takes measures to suppress
enemy’s activity

12:42 29/03/2014 >> SOCIETY

Azeri forces have become active on the border in recent days, a
spokesman for Armenian Defense Ministry told Panorama.am.

“The enemy fires not only at Armenian military positions but also at
settlements. Fortunately, we have no casualties, but the shootings
caused some destructions,” Artsrun Hovhannisyan said, adding that the
enemy mostly fires from large-caliber guns and snipers are also
active.

Reports from the border villages of Armenia’s Tavush province said
that Azeri forces intensively fire at the villages of Aygepar, Nerkin
Karmiraghbyur, Chinari, Movses and Paravakar. Videos posted online
show that the gunfire comes from the Azeri side.

The spokesman added that Armenian forces have been instructed to
suppress the enemy’s aggression by all means and that the Defense
Ministry takes appropriate measures to silence the enemy fire.

22 Armenians were kidnapped from Kessab and taken to Turkey

14:45 29/03/2014 >> SOCIETY

Of those Armenians who remained in Kessab, 22 were kidnapped and taken
to Turkey, deputy chairman of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
(SDHP) Armenia office, Syrian Armenian Vazgen Mesropyan told
Panorama.am.

“We have exact information that those people who did not leave their
homes in Kessab were kidnapped, with 11 people being unaccounted for,”
he said.

Mr Mesropyan noted that more than 40 Armenians did not leave Kessab.

The Armenian populated villages of Kessab in Syria were the target of
three days of brutal cross-border attacks from Turkey. Some 670
Armenian families, the majority of the population of Kessab, were
evacuated by the local Armenian community leadership to safer areas in
neighboring Basit and Latakia.

ARF Eastern US Central Committee Issues Statement on Kessab

By Contributor // March 28, 2014

The ARF Eastern US Central Committee has issued the following announcement
pledging its solidarity with the people of Kessab, which has been under
siege since Friday when rebel gunmen entered Syria from Turkey and began
attacking the population. The ARF has strongly condemned the attack and is
urging the international community to intervene and deter Turkey from
aiding and abetting the rebel fighters.

Below is the text of the announcement.

By now, readers are aware of the brutal, unprovoked attacks by rebel groups
upon the peaceful population of Kessab. These attacks have uprooted a
centuries-old community, consisting mainly of Armenians as well as other
minorities in northern Syria, and are the cause of great concern and
uncertainty.

We strongly condemn this act of terrorism, which in all likelihood was
aided and abetted by Turkey, and which violates long-standing border
agreements between Turkey and Syria. While Syrian forces now wage combat in
an attempt to drive out the militants, we are doing our utmost to mobilize
the international community, especially the US, to pressure those
sponsoring this invasion to leave the town to its rightful residents.

Both on the state and federal levels, the Armenian National Committee of
America, beginning last Friday, has met with influential US officials to
inform them about these developments and to ask that they join a campaign
in urging the White House to use its influence to halt Turkey’s direct or
indirect role in the attacks. These efforts are ongoing.

The ANCA is also informing human rights organizations and United Nations
non-governmental organizations about the fate of Kessab, and will seek
their assistance in efforts to confront this human tragedy.

At the community level, the ARF is in touch with our leading organizations,
seeking to expand the existing relief efforts, led by the Syrian-Armenian
Relief Fund. Our immediate goal is to carry out targeted, emergency
assistance for displaced Kessab residents who now reside temporarily in
nearby Latakia.

We will continue our efforts, and have no doubt about the support of the
entire Armenian-American community.

ARMENIAN REVOLUTIONARY FEDERATION

Eastern US Central Committee

internet-corruption-Turquie-politique-élections-mobiles
Turquie : la justice ordonne la levée du blocage du réseau Twitter (médias)

(AFP) – Un tribunal administratif d’Ankara a ordonné mercredi la levée
de la décision très controversée du gouvernement turc de bloquer
l’accès au réseau Twitter dans le pays, ont rapporté les médias turcs.

L’autorité turque des télécommunications (TIB) a bloqué jeudi soir le
réseau de microblogging, accusé par le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip
Erdogan de propager les accusations de corruption qui visent son
régime à la veille des élections municipales du 30 mars.

Cette mesure est “contraire aux principes de l’Etat de droit”, a
estimé le tribunal de la capitale dans son jugement, cité par la
chaîne d’information CNN-Türk.

L’opposition parlementaire et plusieurs organisations
non-gouvernementales avaient saisi la justice après la décision des
autorités.

La TIB peut désormais faire appel de la décision du tribunal mais est
contrainte de lever sa décision en attendant que la juridiction
d’appel statue sur sa requête.

Le blocage de Twitter a été largement contourné par les internautes
turques mais il a provoqué une avalanche de critiques, qui ont dénoncé
une mesure de “censure” et la dérive autoritaire du régime
islamo-conservateur turc, au pouvoir depuis 2002.

M. Erdogan est affaibli depuis la mi-décembre par une vaste affaire
politico-financière, dont il accuse ses ex-alliés de l’organisation du
prédicateur musulman Fethullah Gülen, qui vit aux Etats-Unis, d’être
les instigateurs.

vendredi 28 mars 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com