Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ARMENIA-EU: SEEKING WAYS OF CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP AMID PRO-RUSSIAN SLANT

ANALYSIS | 13.09.13 | 10:04

Photolure

By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent

The first EU backlash over Armenia’s policy U-turn and move towards
Russian integration appears to have been left behind as the sides
have embarked on the way of seeking acceptable forms of cooperation.

After nearly four years of negotiations with the EU regarding the
signing of an Association Agreement with the possibility of creating
a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) with the 28-nation
bloc, President Serzh Sargsyan declared on September 3 that Armenia
has decided to join the Russia-led Customs Union and later participate
in the formation of a Eurasian economic union.

Officials in Brussels immediately warned that such integration with
Russia is incompatible with DCFTA and also criticized Moscow for
putting pressure on its former Soviet allies, among which are also
Ukraine and Moldova.

Yerevan has been hosting an informal meeting of foreign ministers of
EU Eastern Partnership member states and EU Commission for Enlargement
and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule was scheduled to meet
with President Sargsyan in Yerevan. As Armenian Parliament Speaker
Hovik Abrahamyan said, the meeting would determine the format of
future cooperation between Yerevan and Brussels.

Two days before that, the European Parliament passed a special
resolution condemning Moscow’s pressure on the members of Eastern
Partnership. Ukraine and Moldova, in fact, acknowledge this pressure,
but the Armenian government insists that it is joining the Customs
Union “out of national interests”. Armenia may as well be reserving
the possibility of making a statement about being pressurized and
giving up its plans to enter the Customs Union in future.

European officials have said bluntly that if Armenia joins the Customs
Union, the signing of DCFTA with the EU will become impossible,
since the matter concerns completely different customs systems. This
agreement is a key document in the Association package that Yerevan
and Brussels planned to initial in November.

Now Armenia suggests that it can still initial the Association
Agreement without its economic component, and, apparently, Europe
may agree to such a watered-down version of cooperation not to lose
its ties with Armenia.

It is remarkable that Belarus Foreign Minister Vladimir Makey has
also arrived in Yerevan. Belarus for a long time was de facto out of
the Eastern Partnership process, but after the latest round of trade
war with Russia Minsk began to show a special interest in Europe. And
despite the ‘victories’ of Vladimir Putin in the Syrian issue, there
is more talk in the world about the failure of Russian foreign policy,
including in the former Soviet space.

Armenia in this regard is likely to play for time. Armenian Parliament
Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan yesterday announced the possible dates of
the signing of the Treaty of Accession to the Customs Union – he said
that it could be done in 2014. Abrahamyan also acknowledged that there
is still no final text of the treaty, and it is likely that Armenia
will not accept the text and the parliament will vote against it.

Thus, the Armenian government reserves some room for maneuver for
itself, and Europe may well accept these rules of the game, by
initialing an agreement on political association, using sanctions
against Moscow because of its pressure, forging ahead with the
signing of Association Agreements with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia
and focusing additional efforts on Armenia.

It is obvious that it won’t work without money here. In case
of Armenia’s signing a Customs Union agreement Moscow promised
investment, which many experts consider amorphous. Moreover, it was
clearly stated that Russia is not going to reduce the price of natural
gas for Armenia. Money is now extremely important for Armenia, which
customarily appears in the ‘social pit’ at the end of every year.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan traveled to China for investments
earlier this week, but China promised only a $16-million grant to
support joint reforms.

Against the backdrop of this situation, the appointment of the date
for a European donors conference for Armenia can play an important
role in terms of Armenia’s decision.

HRAPARAK: EX-MAYOR OF GYUMRI MET WITH PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER

Friday,
September
13

Ex-mayor of Gyumri Vardan Ghukasian appeared in Armenia’s National
Assembly yesterday, ‘Hraparak’ says. He was accompanied by Hovhannes
Margarian, member of Orinats Yerkir parliamentary faction.

“The paper was informed that Ghukasian met with the parliamentary
speaker and asked for help concerning Hovhannes Grkikian (with whom the
ex-mayor is on friendly terms), former head of the urban development
department of the Gyumri Municipality. Grkikian was detained as a
result of checks in the municipality”.

TODAY, 13:13

Aysor.am

Hrant Dink murder case has regressed, lawyer says ahead of retrial

14:50 14.09.2013

Hrant Dink

The case on Hrant Dink’s murder has not advanced but regressed, one of
the lawyers representing the Turkish-Armenian journalist said, as the
retrial is set to start next week, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

“We are currently much further behind of the starting point of the
trial,” Fethiye Çetin told reporters during a press conference on
Sept. 13, arguing that in the initial trial the indictment already
defined the organization as “terrorist” while in the retrial, this
aspect of the case would be reviewed.

Çetin, who published this month a book about the unknown facts of the
case (“Utanç Duyuyorum: Hrant Dink Cinayetinin Yargýsý,” “I Feel
Ashamed: The Judgment of the Hrant Dink Murder”) explained that the
Supreme Court had defined the motive of the organization as
“political” rather than “terrorist” in its verdict that led to the
retrial of the case.

The Supreme Court of Appeals had overturned the acquittals of top
suspects, including Yasin Hayal, who was charged with being the
instigator of the assassination and the “leader of a terrorist
organization.” Hayal and other suspects such as Erhan Tuncel and Ersin
Yolcu will also be retried.

“According to the Supreme Court, this organization was established in
2004 by Yasin Hayal. It comprises Erhan Tuncel, Ersin Yolcu, Ahmet
Ýskender and Ogün Samast, whom they use as the triggerman of the
murder. […] However it is defined as only established with a political
motive, to punish Hrant Dink,” Çetin said. For a murder to be
considered a “terrorist act,” it would have to be committed with a
clear aim against the state of the public order, according to the
Turkish Penal Code.

“The Supreme Court has made a mistake in its definition of the nature
and the aim of the organization,” Çetin said, adding that it could
take the court many years of trial to rule on the “terror
organization” aspect.

Dink, the renowned editor-in-chief of Agos, was shot in front of his
office in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007.

Following the convictions of Samast and Hayal for the murder, a high
criminal court had dismissed charges related to “armed terrorist
organization.” Later, the Supreme Court verdict defined the acts of
all suspects in the case under “an organization formed to commit
crime” according to the Turkish Penal Code’s Article 220.

Çetin argues in her book that the killing order was given by the
Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MÝT) via an encrypted
message.

ITALIAN APPAREL LABELS MAY LAUNCH PRODUCTION IN ARMENIA

Fibre2fashion.com
Sept 12 2013

September 12, 2013 (Armenia)

Italian high-fashion apparel labels such as Versace, Prada, Armani
and Moschino may launch apparel production in the Armenian state of
Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR), following a meeting with the prime
minister, Mr. Arayik Harutyunyan.

The Italian companies are expected to become part of a textile
industry complex in Artsakh region, for which the building of the
former Gharmetakskombinat textile enterprise is being reconstructed.

The new industrial sites will be provided to the Italian companies,
which have proposed setting up of production facilities in the
Armenian state.

The prime minister said this is the first cooperation of NKR with
famous brands and it is one of the most important projects for Artsakh
in the field of light industry.

>From January to July 2013, Armenia produced 1,409 million pairs
of knitted garments and hosiery, showing a rise of 37.7 percent
year-on-year.

Textiles sector was one of the 11 sectors identified by the Armenian
Government in December 2011, as a part of its export-oriented
industrial policy. Subsequently, in 2012, Italian lingerie brand La
Perla invested in Armenia.

EUROPEAN LAWMAKERS ACCUSE RUSSIA OF BLOCKING EASTERN PARTNERSHIP ON EU AGREEMENTS

The Moscow Times, Russia
Sept 12 2013

12 September 2013 | Issue 5211
The Moscow Times

Several senior European Parliament members have accused Russia
of imposing sanctions on the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries
to prevent them from signing trade and visa agreements with the
European Union.

European parliamentarians called for sanctions against Russia in light
of its bans imposed this year on Moldovan wine, Ukrainian sweets and
Belarussian pork. Russia’s alleged manipulation of energy deliveries
and its meddling in Armenia’s relations with Turkey and the breakaway
region of Nagorno-Karabakh have also been called into question.

The calls for sanctions came on the eve of the two-day EaP Summit in
Vilnius, which started Thursday. The Eastern Partners include Belarus,
Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The European Parliament passed a resolution supported by five
political groups that proposes taking several measures against Russia,
including an embargo on the import of its spirits by EU countries,
and a complaint to the World Trade Organization about “Gazprom’s
abuse of its dominant position on the EU gas market and its price
manipulation to the detriment to EU consumers,” parliament member
Jacek Saryusz-Wolski said on his website.

Another measure involves building interconnected energy and gas
grids to help deliver energy to countries being pressed by Russia,
said Saryusz-Wolski, chairman of the parliament’s delegation for
relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. He also suggested
opening European markets to EaP goods, for example, wine.

Saryusz-Wolski described Russia’s economic policies toward EaP
countries as “pressure” that is “clearly in violation of WTO rules
and encroaches upon EU interests.”

In addition, Russia is “contesting” the European Union’s desire
to sign trade-liberalizing Association Agreements with the EaP,
Saryusz-Wolski said.

Pawel Kowal, chairman of the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation
Committee, said that he supported Association Agreements and that it
was “necessary to lift trade and visa barriers,” with EaP countries,
Interfax-Ukraine reported.

Elmar Brok, chairman of the parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee,
said in parliament Wednesday that Russia’s exploitation of “energy
prices as an instrument for blocking a country’s free choice” was
“unacceptable.”

Brok urged EaP countries to sign Association Agreements with the EU.

Libor Roucek, a Foreign Affairs Committee member, echoed his
colleague’s sentiments, saying “We don’t need new cold wars in Europe,”
Interfax-Ukraine reported.

ARMENIAN POW’S RELATIVES SEND ANOTHER LETTER TO HIM

September 12, 2013 | 06:31

YEREVAN. – The relatives of Hakob Injighulyan, the Armenian prisoner
of war (POW) who is held captive in Azerbaijan, have sent another
letter to him days ago.

Hakob’s relative, Norik Injighulyan, told the aforesaid to Armenian
News-NEWS.am. He also noted that they have not yet received a reply
to the letter.

“They said we have to wait for four weeks. They say the talks on
this matter will resume in four weeks. The parents are waiting,
looking forward to the return of their son,” Norik Injighulyan said.

He added that the previous letter from Hakob, in which it was noted
that he is fine, is a letter sent by fax.

To note, representatives of the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) in Azerbaijan have met with Armenian captive Hakob
Injighulyan. The latter had handed a letter to his family. Hakob’s
brother, Arman Injighulyan, had informed that in the letter Hakob had
written that he feels fine and he had undergone a medical examination.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Armenian soldier Hakob
Injighulyan (born in 1991) found himself in the territory under
the control of the adversary. According to preliminary information,
Injighulyan turned up there on August 8 at around 3am, while carrying
out his military service, by crossing the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(NKR)-Azerbaijan border, and as a result of losing his orientation in
the area. He was taken to Azerbaijani capital city Baku the next day.

The ICRC was able to meet with the Armenian prisoners of war on
August 20.

WHAT HAPPENED IS DISGRACE FOR ARMENIA – NEWSPAPER

September 12, 2013 | 07:45

YEREVAN. – Responding to the query as to how he evaluates Armenia’s
recent decision to join the Customs Union (CU), European Parliament
member, British politician Charles Tannock specifically said the
following to Zhamanak daily:

“I am disappointed. The decision that Armenia will join the Eurasian
Economic Union by becoming a CU member, in my view, rules out Armenia’s
initialing the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area [DCFTA] agreement
in Vilnius in November.

“In this way, Armenia is making a strategic move by developing closer
economic and political relations with Moscow, making Armenia’s joining
the DCFTA with EU impossible.

“This is Armenia’s decision, and I know that Armenia has been subjected
to unprecedented pressures by Russia for this because Moscow has
decided that they should serve as an obstacle to Eastern Partnership
and the eastern region of the European Neighbourhood Policy.

“I can see that Armenia had no choice under these circumstances and it
had to do what Moscow wants because of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

But I believe this is a disgrace for Armenia and those efforts that
were aimed at Armenia’s western orientation,” Zhamanak quotes.

To note, as a result of the talks that were held on September 3 in
Moscow between Armenian and Russian Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and
Vladimir Putin, Sargsyan announced that Armenia plans to join the
Customs Union and subsequently engage in the formation of the Eurasian
Economic Union.

FULE’S STATEMENT IS NOT A REASON FOR GALUST SAHAKYAN

Commissioner Fule’s statement made on the eve is not a reason
for Armenia to consider stopping its work with the EU, said the
deputy leader of the RPA Galust Sahakyan. “Fule is responsible,
he is responsible for finishing the process, I think this is the
motivation of his statement. It has not been delivered to us as a
common official stance,” he said.

In answer to the question whether the RA government is reluctant to
acknowledge that the EU does not want to pre-sign the Association
Agreement, Galust Sahakyan said, “It is not a wish, they are processes
that are approved by us and we continue to work. I think we will
achieve results.” In answer to the question if there is hope for
pre-signing the Association Agreement, he said we are moving in that
direction, seeking for results.

Besides highlighting incompatibility of the Association Agreement and
the Customs Union Fule also mentioned that the EU learned about the
intention of Armenia to join the Customs Union on August 31. “Why,
we signed a free trade agreement with Russia in 2011, I don’t see
any surprise.”

16:37 12/09/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN’S SINISTER CONFESSION ON KARABAKH

“We’ve talked about the Association Agreement, DCFTA is a different
notion. We say that the Customs Union is not incompatible with the
Association Agreement, and I would like to assert this once again,”
Speaker Abrahamyan told reporters today commenting on the statement
of Commissioner Fule.

In answer to the question whether the Armenian side hopes to pre-sign
the Association Agreement, he said the Armenian authorities are for
signing it. “The other side will be in Armenia tomorrow, meet with
the authorities of the country, and a decision will be made in the
result of these discussions. We will continue our work with the EU,
continue the ongoing reforms,” Abrahamyan said.

In answer to the question when the European partners were notified
about the intention of Armenia to join the Customs Union, Hovik
Abrahamyan said the foreign minister has already answered the
question. We are still speaking about cooperation with the EU.

The reporters wondered what induced Armenia to make a hasty decision
to join the Customs Union. The speaker said the decision was not
hasty, the president expressed his consent, his intention which
suppose processes that the governments and relevant bodies of the two
countries should be working on. “As soon as we have an agreed option,
it will be submitted to the National Assembly,” he said.

He dismissed Fule’s statement that Armenia underwent pressure. “I
did not experience any pressure, did not feel that our government
underwent any pressure. And nobody forced us to join the Customs
Union.” He noted that Russia is not telling anything to Armenia,
we are a sovereign state, the authorities of our country determine
their foreign policy. Abrahamyan also said that there was no pressure
regarding Artsakh.

In answer to the question what membership to the Customs Union will
bring to NKR, Hovik Abrahamyan said, “The Republic of Armenia is
joining the Customs Union, what does this have to do with Karabakh?

Karabakh is an independent state.”

In answer to the question whether BCPs will be installed between
Armenia and NKR, Hovik Abrahamyan said, “Let’s first resolve our
issues, then we’ll think about Karabakh.”

At the same time, he said that he supports membership to the Customs
Union because “the state interest underlies it”. And if Armenia does
not benefit, it may not sign the agreement, we are not a hostage,
the document is not in place yet. In answer to the question what
was given consent then if the document is not in place yet, he said
“membership”. “Today our strategic partner, our economic ties are
all with Russia, our market is Russia.”

Hovik Abrahamyan says he does not think that the EU officials are
surprised at the decision of Armenia. “We still want to pre-sign
the Association Agreement, if he says he does not want to, it is
his problem.” In answer to reiterations of EU officials that the
Association Agreement is meaningless without DCFTA, Hovik Abrahamyan
said they are going to discuss this.

“They say there is a problem with DCFTA, there is a problem with the
Customs Union, there are controversies so we will discuss and maybe
work out the controversies, there may be controversies which are not
compatible. Life will show, time will show.”

He also underlined that the signing of the Customs Union will not be
soon, it will take months, it may take place in 2014.

17:29 12/09/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

EU OFFICIAL SPEAKS OF ‘ENORMOUS PRESSURE’ FROM RUSSIA UPON EASTERN PARTNERSHIP NATIONS

NEWS | 12.09.13 | 11:36

European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Stefan
Fule has made a statement in which he expressed his concern in
connection with growing pressure from Russia on the countries that
are members of the EU Eastern Partnership program, including Armenia.

Official Yerevan denies that any pressure was exerted on it by Moscow
in the matter of taking the decision to join the Customs Union of
Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, which apparently comes at the expense
of Armenia’s further integration with the European Union as part
of the Eastern Partnership Program. Other members of the program,
notably Ukraine and Moldova, have also apparently been pressured
by Moscow to abandon their plans to initial or sign agreements on
association and forming a deep and comprehensive free trade area
(DCFTA) with Brussels – something that Armenia was also on track to
do before the September 3 announcement of its decision to shift focus
towards integration with Russia.

“The Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius is fast approaching. It
promises to mark a momentous step forward in our political association
and economic integration with several of our eastern European
neighbors. Clearly – and wrongly – this is seen in some quarters as
a threat. As a result, we have seen enormous pressure being brought
to bear upon some of our partners,” said Fule.

The European official emphasized that a Customs Union membership is
not compatible with the DCFTAs. “This is not because of ideological
differences; this is not about a clash of economic blocs, or a
zero-sum game. This is due to legal impossibilities,” he explained,
emphasizing that for members of the Eastern Partnership it will
certainly be possible to increase their cooperation with the Customs
Union and participation in a DCFTA is fully compatible with partners’
existing free trade agreements with other CIS states.

“Let me be clear: the development of the Eurasian Economic Union
project must respect our partners’ sovereign decisions. Any threats
from Russia linked to the possible signing of agreements with the
European Union are unacceptable,” Fule underscored.

Despite its decision to join the Customs Union Armenia has reaffirmed
its commitment to continue political dialogue and cooperation with
the EU.

Fule is expected in Yerevan today and it is possible that Brussels
will formulate its official position on the issue after his visit.