Author: Kalantarian Kevo

HEFFERN SPOKE ABOUT HIS EXPECTATIONS FROM THE COMING ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

GYUMRI, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: USA extraordinary and plenipotentiary
Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern spoke about his expectations from
the coming Armenian presidential elections when answering to the
journalists’ questions in Gyumri on November 1.

“It is important to strengthen those positive trends which were
noted during the parliamentary elections in May. OSCE democratic
institutions and the office of human rights were carrying out
observation mission. Some suggestions have been made by OSCE Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the implementation
of which may be very efficient and reasonable for the elections”
underlined Heffern. According to him interdepartmental group, created
by the Armenian government, is observing all the 26 suggestions.

“A few days ago all the Ambassadors to Armenia were provided with
list, which government is planning to do in terms of suggestions. We
highly evaluate the detailed response of the government on each
suggestion, and by the way the majority of the suggestions have been
accepted. There is a need for extra dialogue on some offers, and some
need several changes in the electoral legislation, but taking into
consideration the short period of time left before the beginning of
the elections the suggestions will be implemented after them. We are
waiting for the coming elections and hope that they will be transparent
and fair” noted USA Ambassador John Heffern.

AN ARMENIAN KILLED IN ALEPPO BY SNIPER BULLET

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: Voices of missiles are heard in
Aleppo Armenian districts from the very morning. As Berio National
Primacy press secretary Jirayr Reisyan informed Armenpress, there is
no information about the caused damage. An Armenian was killed in the
nearby territories of Aleppo Saint Gevorg church. George Kabanjyan
was hurt by the bullet of the sniper.

In the words of Reisyan, the rebels have kidnapped two people in the
entrance of Aleppo city the letters on their way back from capital
Damascus to Aleppo. One of those found out to be an Armenian. No news
available about the kidnapped people.

According to Reisyan, efforts launched to release people kidnapped in
the bus in Beirut- Aleppo route are underway. Armed opposition gang
had stopped Beirut-Aleppo “Zeytuni Druz” company civil bus in Allepo
nearby Sarakeb city on October 29. Then they made the passengers
to quit the bus and started to check it , after separated Christian
passengers, released women and children yet kidnapped 11 passengers ,
7 of which Armenians, 3 were Christian Arabs. There were Assyrians
and the Kurds among them. There are news the rebels in black have
reduced the men fall in knees, stroke them and take with them to an
indefinite direction. Karo Pampalian, Arsen Aroian, Levon Zeitunian,
Bashar and George Rabat are the names of the kidnapped Armenians. The
clashes are continuing in other Syrian cities. Arabian SANA reports,
the shelling orchestrated in Sayida Zeynab outskirt on October 31
resulted in the death of 11 people, another 25 were wounded. Children
are recorded among the injured.

Clashes in Syria lasting for already 19 months caused the death of more
than 30 thousand people, including more than four dozens Armenians.

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ERDOGAN A BERLIN : DES RELATIONS TURCO-ALLEMANDES GRINEANTES

Publie le : 02-11-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – ” Les relations
turco-allemandes grincent et pas uniquement en ce qui concerne
l’Europe. Que ce soit le conflit syrien, la facon de gerer le parti
interdit des travailleurs du Kurdistan, le PKK, ou l’integration des
trois millions de personnes d’origine turque en Allemagne – il y a
de nombreuses differences d’opinions sur ces sujets, que les lieux
communs diplomatiques ont du mal a cacher. Angela Merkel supporte mal
les machos du genre Erdogan. Ce dernier n’a pas vu les 2 500 personnes
qui manifestaient contre sa politique a 500 mètres de la Chancellerie,
devant la Porte de Brandebourg. Une grande coalition de groupes de
gauche, de Kurdes et autres minorites de Turquie (dont les Armeniens)
a accuse le Premier ministre de pousser le pays vers l’islamisation
et de pietiner les droits de l’homme ” Le Collectif VAN vous propose
la traduction d’un article en allemand paru sur le site Spiegel Online
le 31 octobre 2012.

Spiegel Online

Erdogan et Merkel : sourire distant

De Philipp Wittrock

Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a dit mercredi qu’il
voulait que la Turquie soit membre a part entière de l’UE avant 2023.

La Chancelière Angela Merkel l’a assure que les pourparlers seraient
” honnetes “. Leur rencontre a Berlin a de nouveau montre que les
relations entre la Turquie et l’Allemagne se sont compliquees.

31.10.2012

Berlin – À la fin de la conference de presse, Angela Merkel a fronce
les yeux et serre les lèvres. Mais de quoi parle-t-il, semble-t-elle
demander. À côte d’elle, Recep Tayyip Erdogan parlait du conflit
de Chypre. C’etait une erreur d’avoir integre ” Chypre du Sud ”
a l’Union Europeenne, a declare le Premier ministre turc. Et la
chancelière partage cette opinion, ajoute-t-il.

Ce n’est pas la première fois qu’Erdogan fait cette declaration :
il l’avait dit la veille, a l’occasion de l’ouverture de la nouvelle
ambassade turque a Berlin. Ce qui ne la rend pas plus veridique,
souligne l’entourage de Merkel. Certains pourront dire que ce n’etait
pas vraiment diplomatique de le repeter en sa presence. Mais peut-etre
que le Premier ministre en est convaincu. La chef du CDU est de toute
facon assez avisee pour ne pas contredire Erdogan en public. Elle
prefère le diriger vers la photo obligatoire devant les drapeaux des
deux pays. Une poignee de main, un sourire et ils partent.

Ce petit incident est symbolique : les relations turco-allemandes
grincent et pas uniquement en ce qui concerne l’Europe. Que ce soit le
conflit syrien, la facon de gerer le parti interdit des travailleurs du
Kurdistan, le PKK, ou l’integration des trois millions de personnes
d’origine turque en Allemagne – il y a de nombreuses differences
d’opinions sur ces sujets que les lieux communs diplomatiques ont du
mal a cacher.

Certes, a la Chancellerie mercredi, Merkel et Erdogan ont souligne
leurs liens proches et amicaux. Pourtant, on a vu peu de signes d’une
cordialite particulière. Finie l’epoque ou l’ex-Chancelier Gerhard
Schroder et Erdogan se tapaient sur l’epaule. Peut-etre aussi parce
que Merkel supporte mal les machos du genre Erdogan. L’agenda commun
s’est acheve poliment, mais souvent sans sourire.

Erdogan pose des delais pour l’adhesion a l’UE

La question epineuse de Chypre n’est qu’un des obstacles sur le chemin
de l’adhesion a l’UE. Les reticences ne sont pas de nature fondamentale
pour l’Allemagne uniquement. La Turquie a pose sa candidature en
1987, les negociations ont debute il y a 7 ans, et depuis 2010 elles
n’avancent plus. Le tout dernier rapport de l’UE sur les progrès de
la Turquie etait peu flatteur : il soulignait les violations de la
liberte d’expression et de libre rassemblement et la stagnation des
reformes democratiques. Cependant, mercredi, la Chancelière a assure
son invite que les negociations seraient ” honnetes “.

De son côte, Erdogan a regrette le manque de progrès en general. Alors
que la Chancelière tentait d’expliquer le principe de partenariat
privilegie, que la CDU prefère a un statut de membre pour la Turquie,
mais ne s’oppose pas a ” des resultats ouverts “, il sourit doucement.

Erdogan a clairement dit ce qu’il pensait de l’honnetete de l’UE, lors
d’une conference sur l’Europe qui avait eu lieu la veille a l’Institut
Berggruen : il a accuse l’Europe d’utiliser des tactiques permettant
de repousser l’echeance. À la question, est-ce que la Turquie serait
membre de l’UE en 2023, il a dit : ” Ils ne vont pas nous faire
attendre aussi longtemps, non ? ” Si c’etait le cas, il a ajoute ”
Alors, c’est l’Europe qui perdra, du moins, elle perdra la Turquie. ”

C’etait un avertissement lance aux dirigeants europeens. En Turquie,
l’euphorie liee a l’entree de la Turquie dans l’UE est retombee
depuis longtemps. L’economie continue de croître et Erdogan et son
parti conservateur-islamique AKP se sentent trop forts pour attendre
l’Europe. Le pays se reoriente et essaie systematiquement d’assoir
son influence dans le monde musulman. C’est une double strategie :
la Turquie veut rehausser sa position de puissance regionale et
de ce fait, indiquer a l’Europe combien le pays est important pour
l’Occident, en tant que pont avec le monde arabe islamique.

Merkel promet son soutien dans le conflit syrien

Dans ce contexte, le conflit syrien represente un defi particulier. La
Turquie s’est fermement positionnee du côte des rebelles dans le
pays voisin et elle exige des sanctions internationales plus dures
contre le regime d’Assad. En ce qui concerne la situation en Syrie,
Merkel a parle d’un ” vrai fardeau “pour la Turquie et elle a loue
Ankara pour son niveau de ponderation etant donne les tirs syriens
et elle a promis plus de soutien au partenaire de l’OTAN. Cependant,
Ankara souhaite bien davantage d’aide que jusqu’a present, avant tout
en raison du flux continuel de refugies syriens arrivant dans le pays.

Et pareil dans sa lutte contre le PKK. Peu de temps avant sa visite
a Berlin, Erdogan s’etait plaint que le gouvernement federal ne
s’engageait pas assez contre les activites terroristes du parti
interdit, qui pouvait ” en toute tranquillite ” se procurer de
l’argent pour la lutte armee – un reproche que le gouvernement federal
a fermement rejete. Merkel a assure que l’Allemagne ” aidait dans tous
les domaines “, en ce qui concerne les activites terroristes du PKK.

Erdogan l’a remercie pour son soutien. Pas de mots durs. Une belle
facade pour preserver les apparences.

C’etait aussi très opportun qu’Erdogan n’ait pas vu les 2 500
personnes qui manifestaient contre sa politique a 500 mètres de la
Chancellerie, devant la Porte de Brandebourg. Une grande coalition
de groupes de gauche, de Kurdes et autres minorites de Turquie (NdT
dont les Armeniens) a accuse le Premier ministre de pousser le pays
vers l’islamisation et de pietiner les droits de l’homme. Alors que
la manifestation se dispersait dans le calme en debut d’après-midi,
le cortège d’Erdogan roulait deja en direction de l’aeroport.

En collaboration avec Christoph Sydow.

©Traduction de l’allemand C.Gardon pour le Collectif VAN – 02 novembre
2012 –

Lire aussi :

Manifestation anti-Erdogan a Berlin

Une manifestation anti-Erdogan a Berlin

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Spiegel Online

LA NON RESOLUTION DU CONFLIT DU KARABAGH GENE LA POLITIQUE DE LA TURQUIE DANS LE CAUCASE
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 1er novembre 2012

Les visites du Premier ministre Turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan en
Azerbaïdjan, en Ukraine, en Crimee et en Bosnie semblent annoncer
des changements dans la politique etrangère de la Turquie. Le chef de
la Federation des associations des tartars de Crimee le politologue
Unver Sel a declare au site Gun.az : ” La politique etrangère turque
a echoue dans le monde Arabe. Aujourd’hui la ligne prioritaire de
la politique etrangère de la Turquie doit etre d’assurer la paix et
la tranquillite dans la region. Mais nous devons noter que la non
resolution de la question du Karabagh gene la politique de la Turquie
au Sud Caucase et entraîne quelques problèmes. Après la visite du
Premier ministre a Bakou, une hausse des efforts de la Turquie en
vue de resoudre le conflit sont previsibles “.

LE BLOC DE L’OPPOSITION EXIGE UNE NOUVELLE INVESTIGATION DES TROUBLES DE 2008
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 1er novembre 2012

Le Congrès National Armenien (HAK) a exige une nouvelle enquete
parlementaire sur les violences post-election de mars 2008 a Erevan
qui ont fait dix morts et plus de 100 blesses.

Le HAK a dit que l’Assemblee nationale doit fonder une commission
ad hoc qui examinerait la legalite des actions de la police contre
des milliers de ses partisans qui exigeaient de nouvelles elections
presidentielles. La commission devrait essayer aussi d’identifier
ceux qui ont tue huit protestataires et deux policiers les 1er et 2
mars 2008. Personne n’a ete poursuivi pour ces morts.

Le precedent parlement armenien a deja forme une telle commission
en 2008. La commission, boycottee par les deputes de l’opposition,
a conclu en septembre 2009 que l’utilisation de la force contre les
protestataires, qui se sont barricades dans la ville d’Erevan, etait
” generalement parlant legitime et adequate “. Elle a dit qu’il y
avait seulement des cas isoles d’usage excessif de la force employee
par les forces de securite.

Le HAK a rejete cette conclusion a l’epoque disant qu’elle faisait
partie d’une tentative pour etouffer l’affaire de la part du
gouvernement.

Gagik Jahangirian, un des sept deputes representant le bloc de
Levon Ter-Petrosian, a dit que la nouvelle commission parlementaire
differerait radicalement de la precedente. Particulièrement a-t-il
dit, les six forces politiques representees dans l’Assemblee nationale
actuelle nommeraient chacun un membre de la commission. La commission
serait aussi autorisee a poser des questions au gouvernement et
aux fonctionnaires en charge de la securite aussi bien qu’exiger et
obtenir des documents appropries de la police a-t-il dit.

Les factions parlementaires du parti Republicain d’Armenie (HHK)
et les autres partis n’ont pas fait immediatement de commentaires
sur l’initiative du HAK. Ils ont dit qu’ils formuleront une position
après que le bloc de l’opposition fasse circuler une demande dans
les prochains jours.

” Nous tiendrons des negociations et je pense qu’il y aura d’autres
forces rejoignant cette initiative ” a dit Gagik Jahangirian, qui a ete
mis a la porte comme vice-procureur general avant les troubles de 2008.

vendredi 2 novembre 2012, Stephane ©armenews.com

ALIYEV PLEDGES VICTORY IN KARABAKH WAR

APA
Oct 31 2012
Azerbaijan

[Translated from Azeri]

President Ilham Aliyev has expressed his confidence that Azerbaijan
will soon mark its victory in a war with Armenia over its breakaway
region of Karabakh, private APA news agency has reported.

“I am sure that we will mark a victory day in the near future,”
President Ilham Aliyev was quoted as telling a ceremony to inaugurate
a monument to late Azerbaijani opera singer Bulbul, born in Susa,
Karabakh.

The president added that Azerbaijan’s “strength and power grow year
by year, globally increases opportunities of influence and the support
of international community for Azerbaijan’s just cause, and of course
our economic power draws the day of victory closer”.

Aliyev stressed efforts of the international community aimed at a
peaceful solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.

“We also support this. However, at the same time, we are ready for any
option. We will never allow a second Armenian state be established
in the ancient Azerbaijani land and we will resolutely restore our
territorial integrity,” the president said.

BBCM note: The Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers met in Paris
on 27 October to discuss a peaceful resolution to the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict. This was the first meeting of the ministers following a
period of renewed tension between the two countries in August when
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pardoned Azeri officer Ramil
Safarov convicted of hacking his Armenian room-mate to death during
a NATO language course in Hungary in 2004.

[Translated from Azeri]

“THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTIONS WON’T CHANGE THE SITUATION IN ARMENIA”

Vestnik Kavkaza
Nov 1 2012
Russia

David Stepanyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

The member of the administration of Armenian All-National Movement,
the head of the parliamentary committee on international affairs of
Armenia in 1995-1999, the expert of the European Business Association
on Investment and Market Access Affairs, Ovanes Igityan, told Vestnik
Kavkaza about peculiarities of the investment climate in Armenia
ahead of the incoming presidential elections.

– Armenia went up by 18 points in the rating of the World Bank Doing
Business for 2013 – from 50th to 32nd place. Is this rather high
place reflecting the real climate established by control bodies for
doing business in Armenia?

– Even the 32nd place in the Doing Business rating is not enough
for changing the tendency of reduction of direct investments into
Armenia. Only countries which managed to attract investments from
abroad were able to cope with the crisis. Even the US which has
always had the strategy of investment export, market penetration
and increase of a political factor in other states and continents
considers attraction of investments into American economy today. It
means an importance of direct and indirect investments. The wave of
patriotism covered Armenian Diaspora under Robert Kocharyan has gone. A
contemporary businessman from Diaspora can be attracted only by certain
rules of business, rather than by pressure on his patriotic feelings.

We have to withdraw stereotypes. For example, it is thought that the
Armenian market is too small and it is difficult to attract investors
here. However, it is obvious that a lot of spheres are waiting for
investments, for instance, tourism. The real problem is not the size of
the market, but its underdevelopment. Our market is still not regulated
enough. Our Association together with the European Commission tried
to improve the business-climate of Armenia. But the government often
acts as if investors need this more than Armenian economy.

– So you see no governmental contribution to the promotion of the
nvestment attraction of Armenia?

– The Armenian government deals with accounting rather than with
ideology and a strategy of economic development. There are a series
of directions which have to be developed by the state in favor of
better economy: IT, technoparks across the country. But it is not
implemented. Moreover, many consider Armenian economy which is based
on private transfers as a developed economic model. The banking system
is working for transfers, transfers are spent for goods which provide
the budged with taxes. The government doesn’t mind about increase
of transfers and, therefore, promotes export of labor forces through
recruiting agencies. At the same time, they forget that the historic
experience led to development of skills of Armenians and as the result
Armenian communities in other countries, despite their paucity, have
much more professional specialists and successful businessmen than
other ethnic-groups. The state has to plan and divide robbery from
development, avoiding robbery projects. Armenia has no lack of money
which is confirmed by expenses by our politicians and tycoons abroad.

– But here we can speak not only about expenses, but also
investments…

– Many of them try to invest into foreign countries because they
don’t want to connect their future with Armenia. However, they often
fail to invest abroad -they lack knowledge, including language. Their
capitals are a dead-weight. At the same time, Kazakhstan which has
much more resources is actively developing legislation on regulation
of concessional projects and investment security. Few citizens of
Kazakhstan invest into foreign economies and prefer investment into
their own country. Despite huge volumes of energy resources, Kazakhstan
implements the European system of electricity saving, which is much
recommended for Armenia importing energy. This sphere is waiting for
investments. There is only one obstacle – the Armenian business-climate
is too far from European standards. Even the closed border with Turkey
is not the point. We shouldn’t encourage a foreign investor to the
prejudice of an Armenian investor. Today business depends on whether a
businessman has certain contacts, on a bureaucrat who interferes with
your business. The role of a person is bigger that the role of the law.

– Will the results of the presidential elections in February change
the situation?

– I don’t think so, considering the way how Armenia conducts
elections. If everything remains the same, we will have no elections
in a European, civilized sense in 2013. The visual part of the
presidential elections will be presented perfectly. But people will
come, throw ballots into ballot-boxes for money or under pressure of
the authorities. Today political forces are considered in Armenia as
participants of the elections; people forget that the main participant
is the society which is absolutely indifferent these days. It is easy
to manipulate by a passive society, given presence of money and an
administrative resource.

There are a lot of factors which are able to wake the Armenian society
up: beating soldiers, murders in army, the crime in Arsnakar, impudence
of politicians appointing their children to state positions, weakness
of laws. But the waking-up is not happening. As the result the power
will get as much votes as it wants.

BELARUS, ARMENIA TO DISCUSS EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES ON LEASING TERMS

News of Belarus
Nov 1 2012

MINSK, 1 November (BelTA) – Ministerial consultations between Belarus
and Armenia are due to take place in Minsk on 6 November, spokesman
for the Foreign Ministry of Belarus Andrei Savinykh told media on
1 November.

Partaking in the consultations will be First Deputy Foreign Minister
Alexander Mikhnevich on Belarus’ behalf and Deputy Foreign Minister
Shavarsh Kocharyan on Armenian behalf. “The sides will consider
ways to intensify bilateral relations in the political, trade and
economic areas, humanitarian and interregional cooperation, bilateral
cooperation in the international arena,” Andrei Savinykh said.

Shavarsh Kocharyan is expected to meet with Foreign Minister of
Belarus Vladimir Makei.

On 5 November Minsk will host the ninth meeting of the
Belarusian-Armenian intergovernmental commission for trade and economic
cooperation. Belarus will be represented by Forestry Minister Mikhail
Amelyanovich, Armenia – by Economy Minister Tigran Davtyan.

The parties are expected to consider cooperation in industry,
agriculture, high technologies and jewelry industry. “In particular,
the sides will discuss supplies of BelAZ heavy trucks for Armenian
mining companies,” the Belarusian official said. The parties will
also discuss prospects of setting up an assembling plant to produce
transformers for industrial and utilities companies, supplies of
Belarusian agricultural and automobile equipment on the leasing terms.

Tigran Davtyan is set to meet with Economy Minister of Belarus
Nikolai Snopkov.

ISRAEL BACKS AZERBAIJAN AS STRATEGIC PARTNER

New Europe
Nov 1 2012

On 29 October, Israel said that Tel Aviv considers Azerbaijan as a
strategic partner in the South Caucasus and will continue to do so.

“Political relations between the two countries have always been good,
and economic relations have reached a high level on their background,”
deputy director of the department of the Israeli Foreign Ministry on
Central Asia and the Caucasus, Alex Goldman-Shayman, told Azerbaijani
journalists, Azerbaijan’s Trend news agency reported.

Armenia-backed separatists seized Karabakh from Azerbaijan in a war
in the 1990s that left some 30,000 dead, and no final peace deal has
been signed since the 1994 ceasefire.

According to head of the department of the ministry on Eurasia, Oded
Joseph, Israel, as a conflict-affected country, understands the pain
of Baku in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and always supported the
efforts for a peaceful resolution of this problem.

Joseph said Israeli Foreign Ministry is against illegal visits to the
Armenia-occupied territories of Azerbaijan. “The ministry warned its
citizens of it and encouraged to abandon such visits,” Joseph said.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Israel have increased considerably
since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two
countries. Goldman-Shayman said energy co-operation plays an important
role in the economic relations. “The positions of the two countries
agree on many key issues,” he said.

Israeli Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov has expressed his country’s
interest in attracting Azerbaijani investment to its tourism industry.

“The Israeli government is ready to support Azerbaijani investors in
all fields, particularly in the tourism one,” he said.

Misezhnikov noted the Ministry had submitted to the Israeli government
a draft programme to reduce the prices of tourism services in the
country, expressing confidence “this will definitely play an important
role in increasing the flow of tourists from Azerbaijan”.

“Official figures suggest that today the number of the Azerbaijani
tourists visiting Israel is very small, only about two thousand
people. But the ministry is interested in increasing this figure.”

The Minister said it was not ruled out that the visa regime between
the two countries would be simplified in the future with the aim of
boosting the number of tourists.

Israel has said Tel Aviv is also ready to share its experience
with Azerbaijan on purification of sea water and provide the latest
technology in this field.

PRIME MINISTER: SITUATION WITH CORRUPTION IS UNSATISFACTORY

Mediamax
Nov 1 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. “The situation with corruption does not satisfy
us,” Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said today addressing
the government’s session.

Tigran Sargsyan noted that the President demands decisive actions,
including use of “surgical” methods, Mediamax reports.

“It’s necessary to make tangible and visible changes,” the head of
the government said.

The Prime Minister is going to convene a meeting of the Anti-Corruption
Council tomorrow to discuss the situation.

“To achieve goals we have to reinforce cooperation with the civil
society. It will be also useful to invite oppositional parties to
involve them into these works,” the PM said.