Author: Kalantarian Kevo

MONTE’S PATRIOTISM SHOULD BE DISSEMINATED IN GENERATIONS

ARMENPRESS
11 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 12, ARMENPRESS: June 12 marks the day of death of
Armenian national hero Monte Melkonyan. Pavel Manukyan, who has
participated in military activities in Karvachar together with Monte,
has given an interview to Armenpress.

Speaking to Armenpress, Pavel Manukyan said Armenian people should
keep Monte’s commandments in their heart. Monte was one of the unique
heroes, whom Armenian people owe a lot, he noted.

The speaker said strong are the people who manage to retain their
heroes. And from that viewpoint our heroes should be very “close”
and available to growing generations, becoming an example with their
life and activity, he underlined.

The speaker advised young people to take from Monte his high
patriotism. “If Monte had not come to Karabakh, we would give many
victims. Monte has had a great contribution to the battles,” Mr
Manukyan said.

Referring to the Azerbaijani recent provocations at the
Armenian-Azerbaijani border, Mr Mnaukyan noted that today Azerbaijan
is in front of a dilemma – it must chose between concession and
clashes. And Karabakh is ready for a clash.

Monte Melkonyan was a famed Armenian commander during Nagorno-Karabakh
war.

Melkonian had no prior service record in any country’s army before
being placed in command of an estimated 4,000 men in the war. He had
largely built his military experience beginning from the late 1970s
and 1980s where he fought against the various splintering factions in
the Lebanese Civil War, against Israeli troops in the Israeli invasion
of Lebanon and was a member of the Armenian organization ASALA..

An Armenian-American, Melkonyan left the United States and arrived
in Iran in 1978 during the beginning of the 1979 Iranian Revolution,
taking part in demonstrations against the Shah.

Following the collapse of the Shah’s monarchy in 1979, he traveled to
Lebanon during the height of the civil war and served in an Armenia
militia group in the Beirut suburb of Bourj Hammoud.

In ASALA, he took part in the assassinations of several Turkish
diplomats in Europe during the early to mid-1980s and was later
arrested and sent to prison in France. In 1989, he was released and
in the following year, acquired a visa to travel to Armenia.

Throughout his tenure, Melkonyan carried several different aliases
including “Abu Sindi”, “Saro”, “Timothy Sean McCormack” and “Commander
Avo”; the last of which was the name addressed by troops under his
command in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The last years of his life were spent fighting with the
Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army. Monte was killed in the abandoned
Nagorno-Karabakh village of Merzuli in the early afternoon of June 12,
1993, with controversial reports about the circumstances of his death
and was subsequently buried at Yerablur cemetery in Yerevan, Armenia.

He is revered as an Armenian national hero.

CHAMBER OF LAWYERS OF ARMENIA: AS A RESULT OF NON-TRANSPARENT JUDICIARY ARMENIA IS RUNNING SHORT OF JUSTICE

arminfo
Monday, June 11, 20:12

As a result of non-transparent judiciary Armenia is running short
of justice, Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Lawyers of Armenia Ara
Zohrabyan said during the Chamber’s strike on Monday.

Over 550 of 1,200 members of the Chamber of Lawyers of Armenia went
on a one-day strike on Monday to express their displeasure with the
activities of the Cassation Court.

Their key complaint is that availing itself of the ambiguity of the new
cassation procedures approved in 2007, the Cassation Court has ever
since passed lots of arbitrary verdicts. For some unknown reasons,
the Court accepts one complaint and declines another one though both
are based on the same criteria. So, the lawyers suspect the Court of
being corrupt.

“When marking the 10th birthday of the Cassation Court President
Serzh Sargsyan said that they had created a judiciary that would
administer real justice, based on the law, national traditions,
European experience and universal human values, but nothing has
changed since then,” Zohrabyan said.

KNESSET EXPECTED TO HOLD A PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

armradio.am
12.06.2012 14:07

Israeli Knesset chairperson Reuven Rivlin has decided to permit the
debate on the Armenian Genocide for today.

The Knesset is expected to hold a public discussion about the genocide
of the Armenian people, at the request of MK Zahava Gal-On (Meretz),
Israeli Haaretz newspaper informs.

The Knesset will mark the anniversary of the genocide with its first
discussion of the matter on Tuesday, and a second public discussion
will be planned, to be held by one of the Knesset committees.

The decision follows the Turkish decision to try senior Israeli
officials in court for their involvement in the IDF raid on the
Gaza-bound ship the Mavi Marmara – the debate will be held just one
day before the publication of the State Comptroller’s report on the
affair on Wednesday.

NALBANDYAN: DAVUTOGLU’S STATEMENT SMELLS OF RACISM

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 13:33:55 – 12/06/2012

A press conference followed the meeting of Edward Nalbandyan, foreign
minister of Armenia and Eamon Gilmor, OSCE Chairman-in-Office,
foreign minister of Ireland.

In his speech, Edward Nalbandyan said the strengthening and extending
of relations with Ireland is important for Armenia. He said that the
foreign ministers discussed issues relating to the bilateral relations,
regional questions and a wide range of international issues. Nalbandyan
said that the collocutors discussed cooperation between Armenia and
OSCE on three planes. They dwelt also on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
while the stability and peace in the Caucasian region will be one of
the priorities of the Irish chairmanship of the OSCE.

Edward Nalbandyan reported that he had presented to Mr. Gilmor the
latest developments of the Nagorno Karabakh issue. Armenia’s approaches
are consistent with the position of the international community and
the Karabakh conflict settlement has not alternative but peace.

Answering the question of an Armnews reporter on the recent statement
by the foreign minister of Turkey who expressed concern over the
killed soldiers and said that the Armenian side does not react to
the steps undertaken by the OSCE Minsk Group, Nalbandyan said that
this statement of the Turkish minister smells of racism.

“We have never heard any concern by Turkey over the killed Armenian
soldiers in the result of Azerbaijani provocations”, said Nalbandyan.

According to him, Turkey’s statements of this kind encourage
Azerbaijan’s new provocations. Turkey is trying to shift Azerbaijan’s
responsibility for not wanting to obey the international appeals and
withdraw the snipers etc. on others. It pretends as if it does not
know who is responsible for the lack of progress in Kazan relating
to the basic principles, said Nalbandyan.

20 years ago, Armenia agreed with Turkey’s involvement in the Minsk
Group hoping it would be fair, but the 20 years have shown it is not
only unfair, but it also harms the settlement process, said Nalbandyan.

Edward Nalbandyan said that Armenia has always supported the creation
of mechanisms to investigate border incidents while Azerbaijan has
always refused them. While, the statements of the Armenian, Russian
and Azerbaijani presidents in Sochi contain relevant provisions in
this connection.

CHORRORD INKNISHKHANUTYUN: NEW INTRIGUES INSIDE ARF

Panorama.am
12/06/2012

New intrigues are rumored to be boiling up inside ARF, Chorrord
Inknishkhanutyun paper writes.

“Some ARF members have reportedly decided to go underground after
being deeply disappointed by the results of the parliamentary
elections. They don’t want to interfere in the work of the party or
in political processes. That is why not so famous ARF members, yet
big businessmen Ashot Apoyan and Karlen Gevorgyan hinted to their
co-partisans that there will be no funding from them in the future.

This is because they have not entered parliament or at least have
not been offered any positions. Instead, Karlen Gevorgyan, owner of
a big construction company, managed to agree with Yerevan Mayor Taron
Margaryan on making benches for Yerevan streets, getting a big income,”
the paper writes.

AZERBAIJAN APPLIES TO BORDER SABOTAGE TO DISTRACT POPULATION’S ATTENTION FROM ITS HOME ISSUES- DEPUTY

/ARKA/
11 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, June 11. /ARKA/. The recent sabotages of Azerbaijan on the
border with Armenia and contact line with Nagorno-Karabakh imply
Azerbaijan’s dissatisfaction with the status quo and this country’s
attempts to distract the attention of its population from the home
issues, the Armenian National Assembly deputy Vardan Hayvazyan said.

Over the last few days the skirmishes on the Armenian-Azerbaijani
border as well as in the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijani
forces resulted in deaths of soldiers.

The attempts of the Azerbaijani saboteurs to infiltrate Armenia’s
north-eastern Tavush region bordering Azerbaijan as well as
Nagorno-Karabakh borders caused in 25 deaths of Azeri soldiers. The
Armenian and Karabakh army lost four soldiers, eight were wounded
Hayvazyan added that currently Azerbaijan is facing a number of
issues related to escalation of Iranian-Azerbaijani relations, oil
zones control and USD rate stabilization.

The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh broke out in 1988 after the
predominantly Armenian-populated Karabakh declared about secession
from Azerbaijan.

As Azerbaijan declared its independence from the Soviet Union and
removed the powers held by the Karabakh’s government, the Armenian
majority voted in 1991, December 10, to secede from Azerbaijan and
in the process proclaimed the enclave the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Full-scale fighting, initiated by Azerbaijan, erupted in the late
winter of 1992. International mediation by several groups including
Europe’s OSCE’s failed to bring an end resolution that both sides
could work with. In the spring of 1993, Armenian forces captured
regions outside the enclave itself. By the end of the war in 1994,
the Armenians were in full control of most of the enclave and also
held and currently control seven regions beyond the administrative
borders of Nagorno-Karabakh. Almost 1 million people on both sides
have been displaced as a result of the conflict. A Russian- -brokered
ceasefire was signed in May 1994 and peace talks, mediated by the OSCE
Minsk Group, have been held ever since by Armenia and Azerbaijan.

BAKO SAHAKYAN: IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH A COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT WITHOUT ARTSAKH’S PARTICIPATION

armradio.am
12.06.2012 12:45

On June 12 President of the Nagrono Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
met in Yerevan with the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Deputy Prime Minister
and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Ireland Eamon Gilmore.

Issues related to the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict
were discussed during the meeting.

Highly appreciating the efforts of the OSCE in the settlement of
the Karabakh conflict, President Sahakyan stressed the necessity
of restoring the negotiation format approved by the OSCE Budapest
summit, noting that it would be impossible to reach a comprehensive
settlement of the conflict without the direct participation of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

The President once again reiterated the adherence of official
Stepanakert to the peaceful settlement of the conflict within the
framework of the Minsk Group, adding at the same time that militaristic
and anti-Armenian policy of Azerbaijan, which has recently acquired
radical forms, is one of the most important hindrances on the way of
solving the issue and should receive a corresponding reaction of the
international community.

The President of the Artsakh Republic emphasized the necessity of
the visit of the OSCE-Chairman-in-Office to Nagorno Karabakh.

THERE MUST BE NO SNIPERS IN KARABAKH CONFLICT ZONE – OSCE CHAIRPERSON-IN-OFFICE

news.am
June 12, 2012 | 12:16

YEREVAN. – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ireland’s Deputy Prime
Minister and Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore, in Yerevan today called
on all parties to refrain from the use or threat of force and to
abstain from retaliatory measures.

“I strongly condemn the recent violent incidents. This conflict will
not be resolved by the use of force. The cycle of violence must stop,”
said the OSCE Chairperson following a meeting with the Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian. “This is the same message I will deliver in
Azerbaijan on Thursday. The time has come to build trust; this requires
will and commitment on the part of all those involved to seek peace.”

“We in Ireland know all too well the devastating cost of conflict. And
we know how hard it is to resolve such situations,” he said recalling
the Northern Ireland peace process. “From our experience it is
essential to have a clear and determined policy not to yield to
violence or the temptation to retaliate. Courage, perseverance and
meaningful engagement are called for.”

The Chairperson stressed his support for the mediation efforts of the
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs: “The OSCE can help to bridge differences
between countries and between peoples. We can provide a forum for
dialogue and support the sides to strengthen the ceasefire and find
a negotiated solution.”

“However, in order to make progress towards resolving this
long-standing conflict, the sides should further advance their work
on the general principles of a resolution, remove snipers from the
line of contact, agree on a mechanism for investigating incidents
on the frontlines and find ways to implement the recent agreement
by the Presidents to develop people-to-people contacts,” he said,
emphasizing the need for confidence-building measures.

He will meet President Serzh Sargsyan, Hovik Abrahamyan, the Speaker
of the National Assembly, and representatives of political parties
and later today.

In his meetings the Chairperson will also discuss Armenia’s
co-operation with the OSCE, its Office in Yerevan and Institutions. “I
welcome the excellent co-operation between Armenia and the OSCE,
which is supporting the country in its reform process, especially in
police and judicial as well as with regulatory and economic reforms”.

Following the visit to Armenia, OSCE Chairperson Gilmore will be in
Georgia on 12 and 13 June and in Azerbaijan on 13 and 14 June.

SERIOUS CHANGES EXPECTED IN PARLIAMENTARY FACTIONS OF REPUBLICAN, PROSPEROUS ARMENIA PARTIES – NEWSPAPER

news.am
June 12, 2012 | 06:02

YEREVAN. – After next year’s presidential elections, significant
changes are expected within the National Assembly Faction of the
Prosperous Armenia Party, and these months are a serious test for
the PAP MPs, Yerkir daily writes.

“According to the news we received, in case of working correctly and
not allowing any mistakes, [PAP Chairman] Gagik Tsarukyan promised
to leave them alone to work for the next four years.

That is, the PAP MPs must prove their loyalty to Gagik Tsarukyan and
to conscientiously fulfill their obligations until the presidential
elections.

By the way, there are whispers likewise among the [ruling Republican
Party] RPA that serious changes also await their parliamentary
faction. But here the reasons and mechanisms for depriving of the
[parliamentary] mandate are different,” Yerkir writes.

KARABAKH AGAIN MUST BECOME NEGOTIATING SIDE – NKR PRESIDENT

news.am
June 12, 2012 | 10:54

STEPANAKERT. – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) President Bako Sahakyan
on Tuesday met in Yerevan with the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, and
Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore.

Issues related to settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict were
discussed during the meeting, Office of the NKR President informed
Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Rating highly the OSCE’s efforts in resolving the Azerbaijani-Karabakh
conflict, President Sahakyan underlined the necessity of restoring
the negotiation format approved by the OSCE Budapest Summit, noting it
would be impossible to reach a comprehensive settlement of the conflict
without the direct participation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

The Head of the State reiterated the adherence of official Stepanakert
to peaceful settlement of the conflict, and within the framework
of the Minsk Group, adding that the militaristic and anti-Armenian
policy of Azerbaijan, which has recently assumed radical forms, is
an important hindrance for solving the issue and it should receive
a corresponding reaction by the international community.

The NKR President noted the importance of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office’s
paying a visit to Karabakh and getting familiar with the country.

NKR Acting FM Vassily Atajanyan, Personal Representative Andrzej
Kasprzyk of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, and other officials
likewise were present at the meeting.