Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ANCA CHAIRMAN KEN HACHIKIAN RELEASED A STATEMENT REGARDING THE 2012 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS.

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS: Armenian National Committee of America
released the following statement over US presidential elections. As
Armenpress reports citing ANCA, Chairman Ken Hachikian stated:
“We congratulate President Obama on his victory, commend Governor
Romney for a well run campaign, and thank Armenian American voters
who went to the polls today in record numbers to support federal,
state, and local candidates who support issues of special concern
to our community. We look forward to getting to work right away in
engaging with the Obama Administration and the incoming Congress to
make progress on the full range of the Armenian American community’s
public policy priorities. We were greatly gratified to see such a large
percentage of our Congressional endorsees win their races, including
powerful advocates such as Senator Bob Menendez, House Majority Leader
Eric Cantor, Representatives Adam Schiff, Ed Royce, Frank Pallone, and
many others.” The ANCA endorsed over 140 Congressional candidates from
over 30 states across the U.S. Complete results regarding these key
races, along with a host of state and local elections are forthcoming.

LE MINISTERE DE LA SANTE VA DEVELOPPER UN MODÈLE D’HEPITAL REGIONAL
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 7 novembre 2012

Le ministre de la Sante Derenik Dumanyan a ordonne a ses specialistes
de developper un modèle exemplaire d’hôpital regional.

” Certains des equipements de sante regionaux occupent des secteurs
enormes. De grands fonds sont depenses pour maintenir ces bâtiments.

Aujourd’hui, nous avons mis comme but d’ameliorer la situation avec
des equipements regionaux de sante. Nous ne pouvons pas nous permettre
des depenser de l’argent du gouvernement pour maintenir de grands et
inutiles espaces ” a-t-il dit.

Le service de presse du ministère a dit que le ministre M. Dumanian
a visite beaucoup d’equipements medicaux et a examine les problèmes
actuels. Certains d’entre eux ont deja ete resolus et des instructions
ont ete donnees pour trouver des reponses aux autres.

mercredi 7 novembre 2012, Stephane ©armenews.com

DES QUESTIONS QUI DERANGENT LE FONDS D’INDEMNISATION DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 7 novembre 2012

Un homme dit que 574 000 dollars ont ete deposes sur un compte ouvert a son nom.

Plus de 1,6 million de dollars ont ete payes sur un fonds
d’indemnisation pour les descendants de victimes du Genocide armenien,
selon un rapport de situation comptable, dans un procès relativement
long devant une Cour de Circonscription des Etats-Unis.

Entre temps, quatre des 32 demandeurs qui n’avaient pas ete payes
sont decedes et des avocats interrogent la Juge de Circonscription
Christina Snyder pour savoir si leurs familles – après que leur
lien avec les descendants [beneficiaires declares] ait ete etabli –
devraient etre payees a leur place.

Snyder est egalement sollicitee pour ordonner aux banques qui ont
traite les transactions du fonds de règlement d’assurance d’Axa S.A,
de verifier divers documents pour relever d’eventuelles transactions
frauduleuses. La requete mentionne certaines activites financières
douteuses relatives aux fonds de compensation dans le passe.

L’assignation trouve son origine dans des allegations faites par
l’avocat Vartkes Yeghiayan selon lesquelles des ecarts comptables
existent dans le fonds cree par l’assureur francais. Il a demande un
audit de la totalite des 3 000 demandes.

Le cabinet comptable Holthouse, Carlin et Van Tright a procede au
paiement de 2,1 millions de dollars a 150 demandeurs. Près de 75
pourcent du fonds ont ete paye jusqu’a present, selon la situation
comptable.

Cependant, 28 des 32 demandeurs restants n’ont pas repondu aux
multiples tentatives du cabinet comptable pour entrer en contact
avec eux.

Dans une situation comptable precedente, des doutes avaient ete emis
sur 17 chèques d’une valeur totale superieure a 312 000 dollars qui
avaient ete rediges en faveur de demandeurs du fonds d’indemnisation,
mais qui apparaissent comme ayant ete endosses par l’avocat de Los
Angeles Berj Boyadjian et deposes dans un compte libelle Boyadjian
et Associes chez Union Bank.

Boyadjian a ecrit des chèques pour un montant de 118 127 dollars
a diverses personnes au titre du fonds d’indemnisation d’assurance
qu’il avait depose dans son compte chez Union Bank, mais on reproche
a Boyadjian d’avoir conserve les 194 166 dollars jusqu’en juin 2012,
selon la situation comptable enregistre par la cour de circonscription
federale.

Le 28 juin, peu après l’enregistrement du rapport de situation
comptable soulignant les endossements douteux de Boyadjian, un chèque
de 194 188 dollars etait tire sur un compte du conseiller juridique
de Boyadjian et depose au compte du fonds de règlement d’AXA, declare
le rapport.

Boyadjian ne nie pas les mouvements et son avocat a soumis sous
serment des documents les confirmant.

Le rapport declare egalement que Boyadjian, citant ses droits du
Cinquième Amendement, a refuse de repondre a des questions importantes
au cours d’une deposition dans cette affaire.

Cependant, Parsegh Kartalian, un resident de Glendale administrateur
du fonds d’indemnisation, a atteste au cours d’un temoignage qu’il
ignorait comment Boyadjian etait en possession des chèques des
demandeurs, que Boyadjian n’avait aucun rôle dans l’administration des
demandes et qu’il n’avait rien a faire avec la decision d’approuver
ou de rejeter une demande, selon la situation comptable.

Le ” demandeur ” au titre du fonds d’assurance Zaven Haleblian a
temoigne au cours d’une deposition que neuf chèques de règlement
payables a lui-meme, s’elevaient au total a la somme de 574 425
dollars – qui est la meme somme que celles qui se trouvait dans
un compte a son nom a la First California Bank, un compte dont il
ignorait tout, ouvert pense-t-on par Boyadjian, selon la situation
comptable enregistree par la cour.

Haleblian a dit n’avoir jamais depose aucune demande auprès du fonds
d’indemnisation et n’avoir aucun membre de sa famille concernee par
le Genocide des Armeniens.

Il dit avoir accorde a Boyadjian un pouvoir pour gerer son compte a
la Pacific Western Bank parce qu’il vit la plupart du temps en Syrie.

Cependant, il n’y a pas, dans les responsabilites du pouvoir de
conseil de Boyadjian, l’ouverture de comptes en banque, selon la
situation comptable.

Après la deposition d’Haleblian, Boyadjian a reverse tout l’argent
du compte a la First California au fonds d’indemnisation Axa, declare
le rapport.

,0,727120.story

Traduction et commentaire de Gilbert Beguian

Resume : l’avocat de Los Angeles Berj Boyadjian a garde dans un
compte 194 000 dollars sur les 312 000 dollars qu’il avait encaisses,
valeur de chèques pourtant libelles au nom de beneficiaires du fonds
d’indemnisation. En outre, il a fait verser au compte d’un Armenien
de Syrie 574 000 dollars, et cet Armenien dit n’avoir jamais autorise
Boyadjian a le faire.

Bref, de lourds soupcons d’escroquerie pèsent sur Berj Boyadjian…

Mais on cherche vainement qui, a l’origine, a missionne cet avocat
dans cette affaire et pourquoi faire ?

mercredi 7 novembre 2012, Stephane ©armenews.com

MINSK HOSTS MEETING OF BELARUSIAN-ARMENIAN COMMISSION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION

News of Belarus
Nov 6 2012

MINSK, 6 November (BelTA) – Belarus and Armenia need to apply a
systemic approach to the trade and economic relations, Armenia
Economy Minister Tigran Davtyan, said during the 9th meeting of
the intergovernmental Belarusian-Armenian commission for trade and
economic cooperation, which was held in the Forestry Ministry, BelTA
learnt from the spokesperson of the ministry Ruzhena Novitskaya.

The meeting was chaired by Forestry Minister of Belarus Mikhail
Amelyanovich and Economy Minister of Armenia Tigran Davtyan. The
meeting was attended by representatives of a number of ministries,
agencies and other interested organizations of the two countries.

Mikhail Amelyanovich noted that in recent years, the
Belarusian-Armenian cooperation has been quite vibrant. An active
political dialogue contributes significantly to the economic
cooperation.

“Since the eighth meeting of the commission, considerable work has
been done to boost bilateral economic cooperation. Thus, from 2000
to 2011 the trade between the countries went up 14 times from $2.3
million to $32.4 million,” the minister said. However, the mutual
trade could be bigger. The economic potential, according to Mikhail
Amelyanovich, is not used to the full. Therefore, mutual efforts
are needed to intensify cooperation. The ministry believes that the
Belarusian-Armenian commission for trade and economic cooperation will
play a key role in promoting mutually beneficial relations between
the two countries.

The Armenian minister, for his part, stressed that the economies
of Belarus and Armenia are growing rapidly, increasing industrial,
financial and investment capacities. There is full mutual understanding
at the highest political level. Trade between the countries increases
every year, joint ventures are set up, and investment projects are
implemented. Therefore, he said, there are opportunities for expanding
mutually beneficial cooperation.

Tigran Davtyan stated that the two countries should put the trade and
economic relations on a systemic track so that joint projects would
not be isolated cases but become long-term covering broad areas of
economic activity. This is the main task of the Belarusian-Armenian
Commission, he considers.

Belarus is an important trading partner of Armenia ranking third
among the CIS countries (after Russia and Ukraine).

In January-August 2012 the trade between the two countries totaled
$28.4 million, up 60.6% from the same period a year earlier. Export
made up $24.1 million (up 57.2%), import came to $4.3 million
(up 82.5%).

Belarus’ main exports to Armenia are tyres, trucks, milk and dairy
products, pharmaceutical products, component parts for trucks and
tractors. In Armenia there is a well-developed commodity distribution
network of Belarusian companies (over 25 companies). Three companies
have been opened in Armenia with the Belarusian capital. The
Armenian-Belarusian Trading House Ar-Be features over 10,000
descriptions of Belarusian products.

Armenian main imports to Belarus are strong drinks, siliceous earth,
pharmaceutical products and tobacco.

In 2011 Armenian FDI in Belarus totaled $8.4 million. In July 2012
a joint production of Armenian cognac opened in Minsk. The parties
are currently working on opening an Armenian trading house in the
Belarusian capital.

The sides stressed that the potential of the trade and economic
relations is still huge. The parties have agreed to intensify bilateral
cooperation in industry, strengthen cooperation ties, set up joint
companies, establish direct contacts between economic operators of the
two countries. In this respect, a number of ministries, departments
and other stakeholders have been instructed to develop cooperation in
the industrial production, agriculture, jewellery, IT, international
motor transportation and other areas.

The parties also discussed cooperation in the humanitarian area,
interregional cooperation. The commission stressed that a strong
legal framework has been developed between the regions of Belarus
and Armenia.

Mikhail Amelyanovich and Tigran Davtyan expressed confidence that
the bilateral cooperation of Belarus and Armenia would continue
developing. According to them, there are big reserves for it, in
particular, for trade growth, implementation of investment projects
and diplomatic agreements.

Chairmen of the commission Mikhail Amelyanovich and Tigran Davtyan
signed the relevant protocol after the meeting.

The next meeting of the commission is due to take place in Yerevan
in October 2013.

EU LAUNCHES SECOND PHASE OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CIVIL SOCIETY PEACE EFFORTS

RTT News
Nov 6 2012

The European Union has announced the launch of the second phase of the
civil society program European Partnership for the Peaceful Settlement
of the Conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh (EPNK).

This program aims to support peace-building efforts concerning the
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh by facilitating dialogue between civil
society, media and policy-makers.

Established under the Instrument for Stability – the EU’s special
financial instrument created to support the peaceful settlement of
conflicts, de-escalation of tensions and post-conflict rehabilitation
worldwide – EPNK is a consortium of five European NGOs, which seeks to
work with local partners in the South Caucasus on a wide range of
peace-building projects and to help improve conditions for the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process.

The program promotes a dynamic dialogue between a broad range of
policymakers, media and civil society from all sides of the conflict.

It also supports a wider participation of conflict-affected people in
the peace process, including women, youth, internally displaced
persons and refugees, the European Council said in a pres release on
Tuesday.

Program activities are arranged around three main themes: media,
public policy and conflict affected groups. They aim to broaden the
base of participation in peace-building initiatives, with special
attention given to marginalized groups; Build confidence between all
sides of the conflict through increased people-to-people contact;
Promote fresh analysis and new ideas that challenge existing
discourses on the conflict with peace-oriented visions of the future,
and actively engage civil society in dialogue with policy makers at
national and international levels on the transformation of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The EPNK program will last three years and is a continuation of a
program launched in 2009 under the Instrument for Stability.

The landlocked mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh is the subject
of an unresolved decades-old dispute between Azerbaijan, in which it
lies, and its ethnic Armenian majority, who have the support of
neighboring Armenia.

A six-year-old bloody war between Azerbaijani troops and Armenian
secessionists ended up in the latter taking control of the de facto
independent state with a truce signed in 1994.

The two sides are still technically at war as a permanent peace
agreement remain unachievable despite negotiations. The
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute is regarded as one of the “frozen conflicts”
of post-Soviet era Europe.

by RTT Staff Writer

THE FRENCH-ARMENIANS KEEP WORKING OVER THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PROJECT OF CRIMINALIZATION OF THE GENOCIDE DENIAL TO THE SENATE

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian community of France
continues its activity for the representation of the project of
criminalization of the Genocide denial to the Senate and the visit of
the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan can largely
support this procedure. In a conversation with “Armenpress” the
Head of the French Office of the “Armenian Cause” of France Hrach
Varzhapetyan stated that the issues regarding the project and the
Armenian community of France will be involved in the agenda of the
meeting of the Presidents of the Republic of Armenia and the French
Republic. The Head of the French Office of the “Armenian Cause” of
France mentioned that the upcoming meeting of the Presidents Serzh
Sargsyan and Francois Hollande will de succeeded by a number of
visits, as well as a meeting with the Senate. Same representatives
and officials of the Armenian community of France are invited to the
dinner in the Elysee Palace including Hrach Varzhapetyan.

In a conversation with “Armenpress” he Co-chairman of the Coordination
Council of France’s Armenian Associations (CCAF) Ara Toranyan mentioned
that at the meeting with the co-chairs of the delegation the Chairman
of the Socialist Party in the National Assembly of France Bruno Le
Roux assured that he is intended to the ratification of the project
of criminalization of the Genocide denial. Bruno Le Roux stated that
nothing has changed in his principles. The President of France Francois
Hollande must keep his promise and they must put forward the project
of criminalization of the Genocide denial before April 24.

LES ARMENIENS DE SYRIE EN DANGER DE MORT

Publie le : 08-11-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – ” Depuis presque deux ans,
les Armeniens du monde entier suivent la guerre civile violente qui
se deroule en Syrie avec une grande angoisse et inquietude quant a
la securite et la survie de leurs compatriotes. Malheureusement, des
dizaines d’Armeniens innocents ont ete tues ou blesses par des tirs
et des bombardements aveugles, tandis qu’un grand nombre d’entre eux
ont ete kidnappes. Les maisons, les eglises et les ecoles armeniennes
ont ete pillees, endommagees ou incendiees. Des milliers de familles,
luttant pour leur survie, sont parties en Armenie et dans les pays
voisins. ” Le Collectif VAN vous propose la traduction de l’editorial
du journaliste armeno-americain Harut Sassounian, paru dans The
California Courier le 8 novembre 2012.

Legende photo: Alep : L’Eglise Saint-Krikor incendiee.

Alep brûle pendant que nous lambinons : appel pour un sursaut des
Armeniens

De : Harut Sassounian Editeur de : The California Courier Editorial
de Sassounian du 8 novembre 2012

Depuis presque deux ans, les Armeniens du monde entier suivent la
guerre civile violente qui se deroule en Syrie avec une grande angoisse
et inquietude quant a la securite et la survie de leurs compatriotes.

Malheureusement, des dizaines d’Armeniens innocents ont ete tues ou
blesses par des tirs et des bombardements aveugles, tandis qu’un grand
nombre d’entre eux ont ete kidnappes. Les maisons, les eglises et les
ecoles armeniennes ont ete pillees, endommagees ou incendiees. Des
milliers de familles, luttant pour leur survie, sont parties en
Armenie et dans les pays voisins.

Ces derniers mois, alors que la situation prenait des proportions
alarmantes, le gouvernement de l’Armenie et la diaspora ont enfin
commence a dresser des plans preliminaires pour venir en aide aux
Armeniens de Syrie.

Ces efforts, s’ils partaient d’une bonne intention, ont ete
insuffisants et tardifs ! À ce jour, il n’y a pas eu de plan coordonne
et global pour gerer cette enorme crise humanitaire. Voici les grandes
lignes des trois points cles qui requièrent l’attention et le soutien
immediats de tous les Armeniens :

1) Levee de fonds : des dizaines de millions de dollars sont
necessaires pour parer aux besoins les plus urgents des Armeniens de
Syrie et de ceux qui ont trouve refuge en Armenie, au Liban et dans
d’autres pays. Ces fonds pourraient etre leves tant par des sources
armeniennes que non-armeniennes.

Les sources non-armeniennes pourraient inclure : le Congrès americain,
l’USAID (Agence des Etats-Unis pour le developpement international),
l’UNHCR (Haut commissariat des Nations Unies pour les refugies),
des organisations humanitaires internationales et autres agences
gouvernementales.

Les sources armeniennes pourraient comprendre : la Republique
d’Armenie, les principales organisations et entreprises armeniennes,
des bienfaiteurs prives. Les fonds pourraient aussi etre leves
auprès du public via des evenements speciaux, des mailings de masse
et des telethons.

Il est regrettable que le Fonds Hayastan All-Armenian Fund et ses
filiales regionales n’aient pas reussi a evaluer correctement les
conditions critiques des Armeniens syriens, ainsi que le reflète la
decision inexcusable de n’allouer que 10% des sommes recueillies
lors du Telethon de Thanksgiving cette annee. Ceci a genere un
fort ressentiment parmi l’opinion publique armenienne envers le
Fonds Armenien. Il n’est cependant pas trop tard pour prendre des
mesures correctives et allouer les 100 % des recettes du telethon aux
Armeniens syriens en Syrie et a ceux qui se sont refugies dans divers
pays. Les contributeurs du telethon devraient en particulier exiger
que 100 % de leurs dons soient affectes aux Armeniens syriens. Sinon,
ils peuvent aussi faire un don au Syrian Armenian Relief Fund, un
comite pan-armenien qui s’est etabli dans plusieurs pays ces dernières
semaines. Le Fonds enverra 100 % des contributions qu’il a collectees
a ses contreparties operant en Syrie.

Au cours de ces derniers jours, j’ai recu des appels telephoniques
dechirants de compatriotes en Syrie, suppliant desesperement les
Armeniens du monde entier de les aider avant qu’il ne soit trop tard !

Il est immoral de donner des clopinettes aux compatriotes armeniens
dont les vies sont en danger a tout instant ! Le sort tragique des
Armeniens de Syrie devrait recevoir l’attention prioritaire de tous
les Armeniens en cette periode critique, car il s’agit ici de vie et
de mort ! Tous les autres problèmes et projets devraient etre relegues
au second plan.

2) Lobbying : le gouvernement de l’Armenie, les partis politiques
armeniens et les personnes influentes doivent exhorter les grandes
puissances, les Etats cles voisins et les organisations internationales
a faire pression sur les parties en guerre en Syrie, pour qu’elles
evitent de faire des victimes civiles. Si ces appels n’aboutissaient
pas, des mesures plus dures devraient etre prises a l’encontre des
belligerants, en coupant l’aide financière et le soutien militaire,
et en les poursuivant pour crimes de guerre. Le cas echeant, des
manifestations peuvent avoir lieu devant les ambassades des pays qui
soutiennent les responsables des victimes civiles.

3) Coordination : une entite pan-armenienne devrait etre creee,
semblable au Comite pour le 100e anniversaire du genocide armenien,
afin de coordonner tous les efforts mondiaux pour lever des fonds
et faire du lobbying en faveur des Armeniens syriens. Les membres de
cet organisme devraient etre les leaders des Republiques d’Armenie et
d’Artsakh, ainsi que les representants des principales organisations
de la diaspora. Le comite de coordination devrait posseder une equipe
travaillant a plein temps, afin de pouvoir effectuer les tâches
necessaires de facon professionnelle et dans les delais. L’entite
pan-armenienne devrait etre l’interface du comite intercommunal syrien
pour garantir que les fonds recueillis servent les objectifs prevus.

Il est comprehensible qu’en raison de la nature sensible de la
situation en Syrie, tous les efforts ne soient pas rendus publics.

Toutefois, le gouvernement de l’Armenie et les organisations de la
diaspora doivent prendre des mesures concrètes et explicites pour
rassurer les Armeniens syriens : qu’ils ne sont pas abandonnes a leur
sort tragique ; que les Armeniens du monde entier se preoccupent de
leur bien-etre ; et qu’ils feront tout ce qui est possible pour les
aider en cette periode de grands besoins !

©Traduction de l’anglais C.Gardon pour le Collectif VAN – 8 novembre
2012 – 06:00 –

Retour a la rubrique

EARTHQUAKE HITS ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

Vestnik Kavkaza
Nov 7 2012
Russia

An earthquake with a magnitude of 3 points was registered 92 km
south-east of the Ordubad District, Lankaran and Nakhchivan Districts
of Azerbaijan at 10.26 am.

Armenia said that the earthquake center was located 28 km north-west
of Iran’s Ahar at a depth of 10 km with a magnitude of 7-8 points.

Earthquakes were registered in Kajaran and Kapan (3-4 points, Goris
(3 points, Jermuk and Ararat (2-3 points).

COMMISSIONER TAKES STOCK OF EASTERN PARTNERSHIP AND LOOKS AHEAD

ENPI Info Centre
Nov 7 2012

The EU should be as ambitious as possible with those who spearhead on
reforms and have clear European aspirations, Enlargement and European
Neighbourhood Commissioner Å tefan Fule has said in remarks at a
meeting of the informal Information and Coordination Group of the
Eastern Partnership (EaP) in Brussels.

The Commissioner said much had been achieved since the launch of
the EaP in terms of political association and economic integration,
mobility and sectoral cooperation. Highlights include negotiations
on the Association Agreement, including Deep and Comprehensive Free
Trade Area (DCFTA – finalized with Ukraine, good progress made with
Moldova, Georgia and Armenia); talks on the Association Agreement with
Azerbaijan, talks on Visa Readmission and Facilitation Agreement with
Armenia and Azerbaijan, with a similar offer extended to Belarus;
the launch of Comprehensive Institution Building Programmes worth
â~B¬173 million altogether, etc.

As regards the multilateral track, the Commissioner said, the EaP
provides a forum to exchange good practices on approximation to
EU standards and a platform to reach out to national parliaments,
regional and local authorities and civil society. “The Euronest,
the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities of the EaPand the
Civil Society Forum provide us with different channels to foster
democratic values and to advocate reforms in partner countries,”
said Å tefan Fule.

To deepen mutual understanding and political dialogue on international
policy developments, a new format of consultations with partners has
been launched, namely informal EaP dialogues.

Preparations for the next programming period (2014-2020) are underway,
the Commissioner said, adding: “To achieve ambitious goals, we need
equally ambitious budget.”

The EaP Roadmap for 2012-13 includes progress in negotiations on
Association Agreements with five partners, including DCFTAs where
appropriate; headway on mobility through visa facilitation and
liberalisation with a visa free regime as a final goal; further
development of the EaP multilateral track.

“It is equally crucial that the EU supports the sustainable reform
process in partner countries, including through financial assistance,”
the Commissioner said, by providing “more support for those who reform
more.” He cited the new EaP Integration and Cooperation programme
worth â~B¬130 million “for those EaP countries which are spearheading
reforms,” with allocations already announced for Armenia, Georgia
and Moldova.

An additional boost to support non-state actors across European
neighbourhood will be ensured through the recently established European
Endowment for Democracy, said Fule.

The Commissioner outlined major developments ahead of the EaP Vilnius
Summit, including theENP progress reports assessing the implementation
of reforms in partner countries, due to be released in March 2013,
as well as the annualEaP Ministerial in the summer 2013 to discuss
the preparation to the Summit with Member States and partners together.

(EU Neighbourhood Info Centre)

Read more at

GEVORG POGHOSYAN:AS A RULE, THE REAL FIGHT IN THE POLITICAL FIELD OF ARMENIA STARTS AFTER THE FOREIGN FORCES’ APPROVAL
by Nana Martirosyan

arminfo
Tuesday, November 6, 19:31

ArmInfo’s Interview with Gevorg Poghosyan, Director of the Philosophy,
Sociology and Law Institute of the National Academy of Sciences
of Armenia

Mr.Poghosyan, what situation will Armenia face during the presidential
elections given the public mood in the country? Will the Prosperous
Armenia Party (PAP) advance the nominee of its leader Gagik Tsarukyan
or ex-foreign minister Vartan Oskanian?

The presidential election, like the parliamentary one, is first of
all a fight of resources. From this point of view, the nomination of
a PAP candidate is possible, as the PAP has such resources, as funds,
offices in the regions, and people. A question arises then – whether
Gagik Tsarukyan, the leader and financial sponsor of the party,
is ready to give all these resources to the second person of the
party Vartan Oskanian if the opponent, i.e. the incumbent President
of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan is strong and Oskanian’s chances are not
so big as Tsarukyan’s chances. I think Oskanian’s willingness to run
for president is just an element of political technologies, as it is
not reasonable to nominate his candidacy from the PAP.

What do you think the second president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan
will do during the elections given that he is considered to be the
founder of the Prosperous Armenia Party?

Only shallow persons can participate in elections without a serious
party’s support. They do that just to show themselves off. Kocharyan is
a serious politician, who will not take part in the elections without
the support of Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), which may nominate PAP
Leader Gagik Tsarukyan’s candidacy, or ARF Dashnaktsutyun. The second
president has apparently taken a back seat for some time, and the
supposed fight among the three presidents will not take place. The
fight could take place only in case of force-majeure, particularly,
in case of aggravation of the confrontation in the Karabakh conflict
zone or a domestic political crisis, when the second and the first
presidents feel that their time has come and the incumbent president
has no constitutional right to take part in the elections. One should
not expect a second round in the presidential elections 2013, as at
the moment Serzh Sargsyan’s victory during the first round is quite
predictable.

Nevertheless, may the domestic political situation in the country
become tense after the elections in 2013?

Gagik Tsarukyan’s nomination for presidential elections 2013 will
end in post-election tensions to be provoked by confrontation with
President Serzh Sargsyan. As regards the Armenian National Congress,
it is no longer influential.

Will the opposition forces be able to consolidate around Gagik
Tsarukyan?

There will be a single opposition candidate, first of all, because
each opposition leader has his personal ambitions and also because
the regime is taking active measures to prevent this possibility.

Will the support of the foreign force centers change the current
situation?

In such small countries as Armenia the candidates running in
elections give high priority to the support of foreign forces rather
than voters. If the USA, Russia and Europe equally sympathize the
candidates, the crucial choice is made by the voters, and the real
fight in the political field starts after they gain approval from
the foreign forces. But if one of these foreign forces is prejudiced
against a candidate, the latter comes across real problems.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry’s silence about Ramil Safarov’s
extradition and pardoning is suspicious…

After the stormy reaction of the Armenian Diaspora and the world
community, the silence of Armenian Foreign Ministry is strange. The
Ministry simply missed Safarov’s extradition and could not present
evidence of the attempts to prevent that. And even after Safarov’s
extradition, nobody in the Armenian Foreign Ministry was punished. In
fact, the suspension of relations with Hungary has led to nothing, as
after Ramil Safarov’s extradition, Hungary probably gained a big sum
of money. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev heroized the criminal
and in such a way raised his rating in the country. As for Armenia, it
got nothing. It has again remained in the image of permanent victim,
which nobody likes. For this reason, we should immediately come out
of such a situation.

How do you assess the meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign
ministers in Paris?

I did not expect continuation of the negotiating process on Karabakh
settlement, as Armenia had to express a harsh position and put forward
its own conditions. Europe, the USA and Russia have been using double
standards over their history.