Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT, TWO OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ONE TEAM – SDU LEADER

tert.am
11.01.13

The historical reality is that Armenia’s incumbent President Serzh
Sargsyan, Chairman of the Freedom party and one of the presidential
candidates Hrant Bagratyan, Chairman of the Heritage party Raffi
Hovannisian (a presidential candidate), and Armenia’s first president
Levon Ter-Petrosyan, leader of the opposition bloc Armenian National
Congress (ANC), are actually one team struggling against the Armenian
people.

At his meeting with journalists on Friday, Paruir Hairikyan,
Chairman of the Self-Determination Union (SDU), said that all the
three presidential candidates are struggling against him as well. The
point is that all of them were blocking the achievement of the tasks
Mr Hairikyan set, which later became “national tasks.”

“For example, they were against the Constitution, against a national
army, and even against a joint referendum on independence. That Artsakh
[Nagorno-Karabakh] was betrayed. Artsakh and Armenia were officially
united, but the authorities did not put the issue on the agenda during
the referendum,” Mr Hairikyan said.

The SDU leader claims he knows the way of turning Armenia into an
example of democracy for the world.

“It is not a shame for a political figure to struggle for power. But
when the authorities serve the only purpose of being in power, I am
not going to be involved,” Mr Hairikyan said.

He is ready to struggle for justice until he dies.

With respect to possible boycott of the upcoming presidential election
in Armenia, the SDU leader said that it would mean helping Serzh
Sargsyan to easily be re-elected.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HRANT BAGRATYAN PRESENTS HIS ELECTORAL ECONOMIC PROGRAM

11.01.13

Presidential candidate, Hrant Bagratyan, leader of Freedom party,
presented his website which unveils his electoral economic program
named “Just 100 Steps to Social Justice”.

In his Facebook Post Bagratyan promised to present in his website his
approaches over country’s foreign policy and the concepts of Armenian
reforms as well.

Referring to his economic program, the presidential candidate noted
that it is not the row of slogans or wishes neither is concept nor
program provision.

“It is the combination of activities in conditions of limited
time and resources with concrete outcome. The booklet will soon be
published too. The candidates not representing the authorities are
also welcomed to present their programs [not wishes] and I will be
pleased to participate in any debate,” he wrote.

In his economic program Bagratyan has also included core points of
his previous “100 steps” program.

The economic program comprises of few parts – social consent model,
population’s income, employment, birth rate, social and public
sector, tax and customs policy, budget policy, banking sphere,
credit organizations, share market, business promotion, small and
medium-sized business development, management improvement, reduction
of shadow and agriculture.

NEW TENSION IN ARMENIA-TURKEY RELATIONS?
HAKOB BADALYAN

18:42 11/01/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

The Haberturk reported the murder of Ilker Sahin, 40, an Armenian
teacher based in Istanbul. He was found in his house with a cut neck.

Police doubt the reason was the robbery. Most probably, he was
killed on ethnic grounds. This is the third in a series of assaults
on Armenians in the past few weeks. Earlier an Armenian woman of 80
was killed, and another Armenian woman was assaulted but her life
was saved.

What is happening in Turkey? Are these assaults the result of a surge
of chauvinism in Turkey or are these cases accidents which are not
related to one another, and the grounds of murders are not ethnic?

This question has not been answered yet. No individual or organization
has claimed responsibility for the murders to reveal the reasons for
chasing the Armenians.

Whatever is taking place, and if it is taking place on ethnic grounds
is not in Turkey’s interests, especially now that the country is
facing serious problems and challenges, expects greater presence
of NATO in its territory to handle the Syrian developments, thus
hoping to protect its territory from Syrian gusts. At the same time,
the Kurdish issue is featuring the international agenda of analysts
which may be quickly transferred onto official agendas provided certain
scenarios are adopted, at least as a tool for pressure on Turkey.

Anti-Armenian expressions will be additional burden and weight on
Turkey and will not relieve the problems which the leadership of this
country must resolve.

This could be Ankara’s nervous reaction. It might be trying to look
for those guilty, and the Armenians are a handy target. Ankara also
understands that the Armenian factor has a key importance in the
anti-Turkish toolkit, and even if the Armenians are “innocent”,
Turkey may hit them to force others to retreat.

There is uncertainty for the time being but the anti-Armenian actions
in such a short period of time cause concerns. Fast and abrupt
prevention of a possible anti-Armenian surge or moods through legal
and political steps is an urgent step Ankara is advised to take,
and a delay may result in consequences which may come up slowly but
will be considerable.

After all, anti-Armenian actions ahead of the 100th anniversary of
the Genocide is not the best decision for Ankara, and even if it is a
desperate step to prevent the noticed or expected tendencies in the
process of the international recognition of the genocide, including
the agenda of contribution, this step will hardly help Ankara prevent
those tendencies.

POSITION OF GEORGIA OVER NKR CONFLICT REMAINS TO BE UNALTERED. GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

19:43, 11 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS: Position of Georgia over NKR
conflict remains to be unaltered. As reports Armenpress, referring
to international press, above-mentioned was declared by Foreign
Minister of Georgia Maia Panjikidze during the discussion titled
“External and Security policy of Georgia. continuation and amendment”
which took place in Lithuanian Parliament.

“Concerning this issue position of my country remains to be unaltered;
it is necessary to establish peace in the region,” Panjikidze
highlighted.

Foreign Minister of Georgia has underlined that Georgia is in good
relations both with Armenia and Azerbaijan; therefore it is not going
to mediate in the settlement process. “The resolution must be reached
by these two countries,” she said.

Maia Panjikidze has also referred to the main landmarks of external
policy of Georgia and to the European integration of it.

OPENING OF BORDER MAY CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR ARMENIA – EXPERT

11.01.13

At a press conference on Friday, Artak Shakaryan, an expert in Turkic
studies, addressed the White House online petition for Armenia-Turkey
border opening.

He stressed the importance of the Armenian side’s actively raising
the issue. On the other hand, Mr Shakaryan notes that Arabs may flood
into Armenia if the Armenian-Turkish border is opened.

If succeeds, the initiative will be a precedent. Otherwise, it is one
more opportunity for discussing Armenian-Turkish relations at a high
international level, the expert said.

“We should not discuss only one issue – the Armenian Genocide –
with our opponents. We also have the issue of border opening,” Mr
Shakaryan said.

He also spoke of the negative aspects of possible opening of the
border.

“Is Armenia ready for opening of the border? Are the relevant bodies
ready to receive refugees? We should also consider the fact that Arabs
may enter Armenia along with Syrian Armenians,” Mr Shakaryan said.

“Finally, if the border is opened, will Turkey not make use of it to
send elements to Armenia to destabilize the country?”

The initiative has aroused keen interest in Turkey, and different
Turkish media outlets responded.

The author of the initiative, Daniel Ioanissyan (Heritage party),
has thought of all the negative aspects. He is sure that Armenia is
not so attractive to refugees as Turkey.

“Turkey has shelters for refugees and offers better conditions. Arabs
do not know Armenian and, therefore, cannot find jobs. So I do
not think a problem may arise. We all are well aware that one fine
day the border will open, and we will face numerous problems,” Mr
Ioanissyan said.

He noted he did not consult any government agency, including Armenia’s
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before initiating the collection of
signatures. The reason is he does not think highly of Armenia’s
diplomacy.

ONLY ONE OF THE NEWLY ELECTED DEPUTIES DECIDED ON HIS MEMBERSHIP TO THE FACTIONS

Thursday, 10 January 2013 14:27

The swearing-in ceremony of deputies Hrant Safaryan and Nelson
Minasyan elected during the additional elections of December 23,
2012, took place at the beginning of January 9 special sitting of
the National Assembly.

It must be reminded that by the results of additional majoritarian
system elections to the National Assembly, which took place in
electoral districts N10 and N15 on December 23, 77.1% voted for Nelson
I. Minasyan and 97.4 % for Hrant R. Safaryan.

In answer to Karabakh-open.info’s question “What factions will the
newly elected deputies join?” Nelson Minasyan noted that he had not
decided what faction to join but at the same time he underlined his
wish to join one of the factions, as for Hrant Safaryan, he will
join the “Democracy” faction, two of the members of which Vladimir
Kasyan and Zoya Lazaryan resigned their commissions because of their
appointment in new posts in the executive authority.

It is logically assumed that the second candidate will also join
the “Democracy” faction though before the elections only the “Free
Motherland” party declared about supporting the two candidates.

KILLING OF KURDISH ACTIVISTS COMES AS PEACE TALKS RAMP UP

06:08 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

The execution-style killings of three female Kurdish activists in
Paris early Thursday comes just days after Turkish media reported
significant progress in talks between a jailed rebel leader and senior
Turkish intelligence officials, the Voice of America reports.

News reports identified one of the women as Sakine Cansiz, a founding
member of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has waged an
armed campaign for self-rule against the Turkish state since 1984. The
conflict has claimed 40,000 lives.

Another victim in Paris was Fidan Dogan, a representative in France of
the Brussels-based Kurdistan National Committee, a lobbying group. The
third woman was Leyla Soylemez, a young Kurdish activist.

Turkish officials said the murders could be aimed at derailing new
peace talks seeking to end the decades-old conflict with PKK rebels.

Early last week, officials close to Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan announced that senior intelligence officials had been
meeting with imprisoned PKK chief Abdullah Öcalan at his island jail
near Istanbul.

In the last few days, Turkish media began reporting on the emergence
of a four-stage plan to halt the conflict. One part of the possible
deal could involve releasing thousands of people accused of PKK links
held in prison. Neither side has confirmed the reports.

A previous round of negotiations with the PKK in Oslo was highly
secretive and appeared to have faltered.

In recent months, Turkey’s conflict with the rebel group has
escalated. Since large-scale hostilities resumed in summer 2011,
more than 800 people have died, the highest casualty rate since the
late 1990s, according to reports.

The Turkish army has staged more than 1,000 raids in the past eight
months against the PKK, branded by the United States and the European
Union as a terrorist organization.

When Turkey captured PKK leader Öcalan in 1999 and cut most of the
group’s links to states offering support or safe-haven, the PKK
countered by founding sister organizations, such as the PYD in Syria
and PJAK in Iran, beginning in 2002.

Despite denials, the splinter groups are all PKK-run, said Ihsan Bal,
an Ankara-based security specialist.

“[In] the case of PJAK, Iranian Kurds are involved, and, obviously,
with the PYD in Syria, the Syrian Kurds are involved, but the main
instigator and [effective] leadership is the PKK,” he said.

European and American officials say the groups are loosely funded
through the PKK’s network of voluntary contributions from sympathizers
in Turkey and the European Kurdish diaspora, as well as extortion,
drug trafficking and kidnapping.

The PKK reportedly raises up to $25 million annually from the diaspora,
but its main funding comes from within Turkey itself. The money is
used for everything from armed operations to TV stations and European
lobbying efforts.

DOCTORS ARE ACCUSED OF 2-YEAR-OLD GIR’S DEATH

2013-01-11 16:17:59

2-year-old Lia Minasyan with high temperature, was hospitalized on
Dec. 31 in the medical center “Arabkir”. She died a few days later.

Lia’s father Gevorg Minasyan said that in the death of his daughter
doctors are guilty. The latter is preparing to apply to all possible
instances to prove his claim and bring to justice the real culprits
in his daughter’s death.

Lurer.com tried to get clarification from the medical center
“Arabkir”. After numerous phone calls we got in touch with the
assistant of the medical department.

“Let the research come to the end for the conversations to be
reasonable and not emotional. The emotional state of the father is
completely understandable, but everything has an explanation and a
correct assessment, medicine is not only miraculously cured patients.

Why do not the journalists appear when the thousands of patients are
discharged from the hospital healthy?” It was said at the hospital.

HRANT DINK ASSASSINATION WAS ORGANIZED

January 11, 2013 | 13:59

ISTANBUL. – The prosecutor’s office of the Turkish Supreme Court of
Appeals has asked the top court to overturn the rulings in the murder
case of Hrant Dink-the founder and chief editor of Istanbul’s Agos
Armenian bilingual weekly, who was gunned down in 2007 in front of
his office building-, arguing that the assassination was organized.

In the formal appeal of the prosecutor’s office, it is noted that
the murder was coordinated and planned by a criminal group, which
intended to cause chaos in society, weaken authority, disrupt the
unity and territorial integrity of the state, and put the country in
a disturbing position, Agos reports.

It was noted that the aforesaid rulings need to be reviewed, since
a criminal group is involved in Dink’s assassination.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, on January 17, 2012 the
Turkish court found Yasin Hayal guilty of planning and organizing Hrant
Dink’s murder, and sentenced him to life in prison. Erhan Tuncel,
on the other hand, was found not guilty of prompting Dink’s murder,
and, instead, he was sentenced to ten years and six months for an
explosion in a McDonald’s restaurant. But taking into account that
Tuncel was already incarcerated for that amount of time, the court
ruled his release.

The court also found the nineteen other defendants not guilty of
being members of a terrorist organization.

And earlier, Hrant Dink’s actual killer, Ogun Samast, was sentenced
to a total of twenty-two years and ten months for Dink’s murder and
for bearing illegal arms. But Samast was tried at a juvenile court,
since he was a minor at the time of the murder.

ARMENIAN POLITICIAN PROPOSES ABOLISHING PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE

tert.am
11.01.13

The leader of the National Self-Determination Union has proposes
a constitutional reform that would make it possible to abolish the
presidential office in Armenia.

Paruyr Hayrikyan, who has filed his candidacy for next month~Rs
presidential election, said Friday that he will enforce his plan in six
months, if elected a president. ~SIf I do not attain desired results
in six month, I will raise a public wave which will be followed by
constitutional reforms. People will elect a National Assembly speaker
and a prime minister, and I will submit a resignation then as I am
going to eliminate the presidential office,~T he told reporters.

The politician said a parliamentary majority is the only format to
provide a solution to the existing problem.

~SI wish to become a president to make the country the most democratic
state and implement constitutional reforms. I have jointed the
political campaign with the right to self-determination,~T he added.

Hayrikyan thinks his plan would be acceptable even to the
representatives of the Armenian opposition. As for the other
candidates, the politician said he is ready to collaborate with every
one of them to ensure Armenia~Rs national security and democratic
and national set of values.