Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ARMENIA WILL NOT TOLERATE ULTIMATUMS – BABUKHANYAN

16:26 28/06/2013 ” POLITICS

Those European officials who want to speak to Armenia in the language
of ultimatums should understand that Armenia will not allow it, member
of RPA parliamentary faction, leader of Constitutional Law Union
party Hayk Babukhanyan told reporters when commenting on Armenia’s
choice between the European Union and the EurAsEC.

“Armenia is ready to develop its ties with both the European Union,
the United States and Russia. However, Armenia should not be spoken
to in the language of ultimatums,” Babukhanyan said.

According to him, Armenia should choose partnership with the EurAsEC
and at the same time continue to expand its relations with its
European partners.

SERZH SARGSYAN MEETS WITH NIKOLAI BORDYUZHA

15:52 28/06/2013 ” POLITICS

President Serzh Sargsyan met with Secretary General of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolai Bordyuzha on June 27.

At the meeting, the Secretary General of CSTO presented to Serzh
Sargsyan the results of the forum held on June 26-27 in Yerevan with
the participation of the political scientists and experts from the
CSTO member states. He spoke with the President of Armenia about
the ongoing works and programs of the Organization, discussed issues
related to the cooperation within the framework of CSTO, presidential
press service reported.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMENIA FACES SERIOUS DEMOGRAPHIC PROBLEM – UNFPA REPRESENTATIVE

14:00 ~U 28.06.13

Armenia faces serious issues in three areas that describe the
demographic situation in Armenia – birth rate, migration and aging,
UNFPA Armenia Office representative Garik Hayrapetyan told the
reporters on Friday.

He said that after the collapse of the USSR the birth rate in Armenia
reduced twice.

“The aging population in Armenia is more than 12%. Armenia is among
the countries with growing population. With existing forecasts in
2020-2024 the number of Armenia’s population above 60 will make 20%
and our population will be considered aging,” he said, adding that
each year 1% of population leaves the country which is a high index
for Armenia.

Asked whether the ban of abortions may result in the growth of the
birth rate, Hayrapetyan said that it has never had a positive impact,
moreover it results in the growth of maternal mortality rate. “We
must stress that during the past 10 years no woman died in Armenia of
abortion. It is a very important circumstance. The maternal mortality
rate has reduced thrice since 2000,” he said.

Hayrapetyan said the biggest issue is gender-agreed abortion. He
said the research has showed that Armenia is the third country in
this respect after China and Azerbaijan.

“But we are the first in the provinces, in Shirak, Gegharkunik. Here
126 boys are born against 100 girls. As a result in 15-20 years
about 93,000 mothers will not be born. If the tendency continues the
population will reduce by other 80,000,” he said.

Hayrapetyan stressed that there is no need to sharply ban the
gender-agreed abortions as it will result in corruption growth as
the doctors will take more money for telling the baby’s age.

“Our issue is to make people understand that baby girl is not less
significant than baby boy,” he said.

HAYRIKIAN CONSIDERS IT NECESSARY TO FREEZE RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA

Friday,
June 28

Armenia should freeze its diplomatic relations and all the agreements
with Russia, the chairman of Union for National Self-Determination
(AIM) Party Paryur Hayrikian told a press conference today.

According to him, Russia sells arms to Azerbaijani that constantly
threatens to start a war against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

“The state does not take any steps in that direction so the opposition
and citizens must unite, hold rallies and demand a change of power. If
an attempted murder had not been committed against me and if I had
become president of Armenia, I would have taken measures in that
direction,” Hayrikian declared.

Hayrikian was shot and wounded in January 2013 during his bid for
the presidency.

TODAY, 14:01

Aysor.am

ARMENIA SMELLS TEARS AND BLOOD

Armenia has been ranked among semi-authoritarian states by the Freedom
House annual report. Now that all political parties in Armenia are
exhausted, how will this gap be filled?

I’m just back from my business trip to Australia and I’m shocked by
the culture of developed countries. In the evening, I opened Armenian
news with the fear of finding another disgusting news and unbridled
cynicism.

Armenia smells tears, blood and despair. Each of our days is heavy
and full of suffering, conspiracy, failure.

Why is it possible to value the individual in a country with a
population of 40 or 60 million but the individual is worth nothing in
a country with 2.5-3 million people? The role of the latest elections
and the opposition in the lack of perspectives in our country is big.

A great part of the society was almost sure that the forces, willing
to change Armenia and worry for the future of the country will unite.

The small civil initiates are unable to change the situation, just
like the political parties, while the reforms in the agenda of the
government have only a verbal value.

What in your opinion is the aim of the scandalous report of the
Control Chamber? Do they want the prime minister’s resignation?

During my five years in parliament I saw a lot of similar reports. The
picture has not changed – the budget is wasted, stolen, and no one is
punished. How do they build villas costing millions of dollars? With
what money? Everyone knows. And if now public opinion is being formed
then there is the relevant order. I don’t think this is related
to internal governmental reforms. Almost everyone is right in their
diagnosis but no one has the political will and political intellect to
change the situation. Cancer has destroyed morality and values of our
society. In 22 years we have failed to build a dignified country. Both
the opposition and the government understand this, but no one knows
how to change. Our failures are hereditary, multi-vector, involving
the geopolitical unsolved issues and the internal political immune
system of Armenia and the destruction of institutes. For me the index
of an unsuccessful country is the increasing number of emigrants.

Unfortunately, many ideas were born in this state of bankruptcy but
many institutions have devaluated such as the parliament, the judicial
system, the family, the church. This is elimination of values from
family to school. We need reincarnation of values and people who
really believe those values and are devoted to them and are able to
carry out a change of generation.

Perhaps women could come to form government.

Women have an important role in politics. The ground of all failures of
Armenia is the civilization clash. Armenia is said to be a democratic
country but we are following the eastern rules. Though we are a
country which has had its contribution to the creation of the European
civilization, we are now looking at Eastern trash, such as corruption,
adulation, conspiracy, stubbornness.

I attach importance to the role of the individual as a leader,
introducer of values, but I also underscore work with the society. We
have no other choice but democracy.

As to women in politics, I think they are more honest, perhaps less
prudent, they don’t retreat and are devoted. After all, the stirring
wheel of our country has been in the hands of men for these 22 years,
and unfortunately they failed.

Siranuysh Papyan 11:11 28/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

CSTO CHIEF SPEAKS ON AZERBAIJAN’S BELLIGERENT STATEMENTS

YEREVAN.” There is no military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem.

Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary General
Nikolay Bordyuzha stated the abovementioned during a press conference
in Armenia’s capital city Yerevan on Thursday, commenting on the query
about the bellicose statements that regularly come from Azerbaijan.

“I believe solely the peace talks and a mutual agreement will allow to
resolve this conflict; there are no other options for a resolution,”
Bordyuzha stressed.

In his words, the developments in the Caucasus come to prove yet
again that it is very easy to start a conflict, but, subsequently,
it is very difficult to bring everything back to its course.

“Unfortunately, we have lived this in the [19]90s. [But] I believe some
politicians have forgotten this bitter experience. I repeat once again:
There is only a peaceful solution to the [Nagorno-]Karabakh conflict,”
the CSTO chief noted.

He added that the CSTO oversees the climate concerning this conflict
and follows it very carefully.

“But the [OSCE] Minsk Group is engaged in the settlement [of the
conflict],” the organization’s secretary general recalled, adding
that he is against interfering with the existing format.

“The leaderships of the two countries [i.e., Armenia and Azerbaijan]
and the OSCE Minsk Group are engaged in the quest for a mutual
agreement,” Nikolay Bordyuzha concluded.

ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN: CSTO WILL CREATE COLLECTIVE AIR FORCES

15:41 27/06/2013 ” POLITICS

Secretary of Armenian National Security Council (NSC) Arthur
Baghdasaryan and CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha signed today
an agreement to further expand cooperation between Armenia and CSTO.

The agreement includes complex measures aimed at ensuring the security
of Armenia, Arthur Baghdasaryan told reporters.

Also, the agreement envisages further expansion of military cooperation
as collective security forces will be created in the South Caucasus
and Armenia is the only country in the South Caucasus which is a
member of CSTO, Baghdasaryan said.

“Collective Air Forces will be created, the rapid response units will
be equipped with new armament, a mechanism of permanent dialogue will
be established between special services and law enforcement bodies,
in particular, cyber security centers will be opened in CSTO member
countries as well as measures will be taken to develop our military
infrastructures, namely, new military industrial enterprises will be
established,” the NSC Secretary said.

Source: Panorama.am

TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD OPERATING IN SYRIA – CSTO CHIEF

June 27, 2013 | 14:33

YEREVAN. – There is no military solution to the Syrian crisis,
Secretary General of the CSTO Nikolay Bordyuzha said.

He expressed concern over some states’ support for the armed opposition
groups, which include extremist and terrorist organizations. On the
side of the opposition, unfortunately, there are representatives of
the terrorist organizations from around the world, he said during
the Thursday press conference in Yerevan.

He stressed that it is unacceptable to supply the opposition, which
consists of terrorists, with weapons. Bordyuzha said some natives
of the CIS are trained in militant camps in Afghanistan, then part
of them stays there and gets “a combat experience” in the operations
against the NATO forces.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

MOSCOW IS GETTING READY FOR CAUCASIAN WAR

Armenian advocates of the Russian “business” of selling weapons to
Azerbaijan ground the Caucasian “marketing” of the Kremlin by the
loyalty of the “Russian spirit” to the parity between forces in the
region. They say Moscow, selling offensive weapons to Azerbaijan,
gives us cheap weapons. Not only Moscow, with its commissioners sent to
Yerevan, looks at the issues as business, but also those in Yerevan,
who are engaged in “commissioning” Moscow. A new business development
model will soon be worked out on importing cheap weapons from Russia
and selling at higher prices to Azerbaijan. Armenia will be able to
get armed free of charge after a couple of successful deals.

But before that the second Artsakh war will happen because unlike
Armenia, Azerbaijan won’t let Moscow swindle it. Moscow knows this,
so it is selling modern weapons to Azerbaijan. Moscow’s aim is not
business and not regional parity, but it aims at controlling the
regional war.

This is why Russia did everything to be the first country among those
selling weapons to Azerbaijan. The tale about regional balance is only
for the clients of the Armenian-Russian business center. In reality,
Moscow arms both Armenia and Azerbaijan not to allow Israel doing it
otherwise in case of war it will have to share the control package
with Israel or the U.S.

Whoever controls the war, which is becoming more and more certain,
will most probably control its outcome. The first lever of control is
the armament – whose armament will be used in the. In case of Armenia,
the armament is totally Russian with a few exceptions. In case of
Azerbaijan, Moscow wants to sell as many weapons to Azerbaijan as
possible before the war, to prevail over the other weapon suppliers.

It comes out that Baku is paying more for Russian control than
Armenia. The point is about money. The one who pays, orders the music,
as Russians say. This is why they have been repeating for already
several days in Yerevan that this is just business in order to calm
Armenia down. In reality, the Kremlin warns Armenians that it will
be led by the fact who will pay more for the desirable control.

JAMES HAKOBYAN 15:06 27/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

MERKEL TELLS TURKEY EUROPEAN VALUES ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE

June 27, 2013 – 12:30 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday,
June 27, she welcomed an agreement to reopen talks with Turkey about
joining the European Union but warned in the light of the crackdown
on Turkish anti-government protests that democratic values were
non-negotiable, according to Reuters.

Merkel told the German parliament that the agreement this week to
make progress in Turkey’s application for membership conditional
on respect for human rights and political reform meant the EU was
“not acting as if nothing had happened”.

“This outcome makes it clear that Turkey is an important partner but
that our European values of the freedom to protest, freedom of opinion,
the rule of law and religious freedom, are always valid and are not
negotiable,” said Merkel.