Author: Kanayan Tamar

EXPERT FORECASTS AZERI PROVOCATION DURING EUROVISION CONTEST

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 16, 2012 – 13:44 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Any major event Azerbaijan hosts will be aimed at
spreading anti-Armenian propaganda, a military expert said.

As David Jamalyan told a press conference, Azerbaijan will probably try
to destabilize the Armenian-Azerbaijani border during the Eurovision
song contest.

“Azeri hostilities will aim at sparking retaliatory measures by the
Armenian side, thus demonstrating the “barbarism” of the Armenian army.

The expert noted that with these steps Azerbaijan will try to prove
Armenia as “aggressor”, paving the way for possible strike on Nagorno
Karabakh. “Retaliatory measures must be taken in case Azerbaijan opens
fire towards Armenian positions or even at civilians,” Mr. Jamalyan
said.

The expert further noted Armenia’s decision to withdraw from Eurovision
2012 song contest as a correct one.

CO-CHAIRS OF OSCE MG ROUND UP VISIT TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Vestnik Kavkaza
May 14 2012
Russia

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has met co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group Igor Popov (Russia), Robert Bradtke (USA) and Jacques Faure
(France) and the special representative of OSCE chairman Andrzej
Kasprzyk, press service of the Azerbaijani president reports.

The sides discussed the state and prospects of settling the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

They made a declaration on visiting the region. They noted that
they had visited Yerevan and Baku, met Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and
Ilham Aliyev.

The co-chairs continued discussions of fulfillment of obligations
agreed on at a meeting of Aliyev and Sargsyan in Sochi on January 23.

The OSCE officials expressed concerns over incidents at the line of
contact and urged sides to be tolerant.

The co-chairs discussed development of military and civil contacts,
improvement of trust and realization of the cease-fire agreement
reached in 1994. They emphasized importance of preserving Armenian
and Azerbaijani cultural and historic values.

The OSCE MG co-chairs plan further negotiations of the conflict with
foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

TURKEY HOPEFUL NEW FRENCH PRESIDENT WILL AID ITS EU CAUSE

The Sunday Independent
May 13, 2012
South Africa

ISTANBUL: Turkey is hoping that new French president Francois Hollande
will open a fresh page in relations with Ankara and, unlike his
predecessor, back the Muslim-majority country’s EU bid.

“We are hoping that he (Hollande) would open a new page in the very
deep and fruitful historical relations between Turkey and France,”
Turkish European Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis said.

Ankara would like to see France “become one of the champions of Turkish
integration into the EU”, as it was under president Jacques Chirac,
he said.

That was not the case under the outgoing French leader Nicolas Sarkozy.

Tension between Ankara and Paris also flared this year over a French
law making it a crime to deny the Armenian massacre by Ottoman Turks,
a point of World War I history that Turkey disputes.

The law was eventually overturned by the French Constitutional Court.

“Sarkozy probably had different priorities. Sarkozy was a smart
politician, saw an opportunity of a vote to the extreme right and he
went after that,” Bagis said.

It worked in 2007, he added, “but I think it did not work in the
second election”.

Hollande, after winning the run-off vote on May 6, will take over as
president on Tuesday.

The Socialist leader has shown himself to be more open to Turkey’s
EU ambitions.

Bagis spoke of mending fences with Paris in a friendly spirit of
finding solutions.

“We are not in the business of creating animosity, we are in the
business of creating friendship, where diplomacy and politics are
part of finding solutions, not creating problems,” he said.

For his part, Hollande has noted that Turkey would not become an
EU member during his five-year term – the road to EU accession is a
long one.

Turkey and the EU began formal accession negotiations in 2005, but
since then Brussels has opened with Ankara only 13 of the 35 policy
chapters that every state must negotiate to join the bloc.

Just one chapter has been successfully closed.

Besides opposition from France, along with Austria and Germany,
the talks have stalled over problems relating to the ethnic Greek
government of EU member Cyprus, a Mediterranean island divided between
Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Only Ankara recognises the Turkish Cypriot
statelet in the north.

Turkey has threatened to freeze diplomatic relations with the EU when
Cyprus takes on the rotating EU presidency for six months in July if
there is no reunification deal.

Yet Ankara continues to pursue European integration even as the bloc
is mired in an economic crisis. In contrast, Turkey’s economy expanded
by 8.5 percent last year.

But, Bagis said, for Turkey the EU was not an economic project,
but a major avenue for peace.

“Turkey can turn the grandest peace project of the history of mankind,
which is the EU, from being a continental project to a global project.”

Bagis sees Turkey as a democratic inspiration in the Arab world and
believes Europe could have a greater influence there with Ankara at
its side. – Sapa-AFP

REPUBLICAN PARTY WINS MAJORITY OF SEATS IN ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT

ITAR-TASS
May 13, 2012 Sunday 08:33 PM GMT+4
Russia

The Republican Party led by President Serzh Sargsyan won the majority
of seats in the Armenian parliament on May 6, the Central Elections
Commission said in a final report posted on Sunday.

The conservatives will hold 69 out of 131 parliament seats, among them
40 won in the proportionate ballot and 29 in majority single-mandate
districts.

The right-centrist Prosperous Armenia led by businessman Gagik
Tsarukian ranks second with 37 parliament seats (28 in the
proportionate ballot and nine in majority single-mandate districts).

The radical opposition block, Armenian National Congress, of
Armenia’s first president Levon Ter-Petrossian (1998-2008) gained
seven parliament seats, all of them in the proportionate ballot.

The Land of Law led by Armenian National Security Council Secretary
Artur Bagdasarian will have six parliament seats, including five gained
in the proportionate ballot and one in a single-mandate district.

The nationalist party Dashnaktsutyun will have the same ranking.

The opposition party Heritage led by first foreign minister of
independent Armenia, former U.S. citizen Raffi Ovanesian, will have
five parliament seats.

One independent candidate won in a single-mandate electoral district.

The Communist Party, the Democratic Party and United Armenians failed
to pass the 5% election threshold and will have no parliament seats.

More than 600 international and 30,000 domestic observers watched
the ballot. Foreign monitors said the election was normal and well
governed, while the opposition reported a number of violations.

TURKEY NOT TO TAKE STEPS CONTRARY TO AZERBAIJANI INTERESTS

News.Az
Mon 14 May 2012 16:10 GMT | 17:10 Local Time

Armenian former Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said he is confident
that Turkey will never take steps contrary to Azerbaijani interests.

According to amerikaliturk.com, Oskanyan said this in a statement to
Turkish journalists in Yerevan.

The former minister said that any progress in Turkish-Armenian
relations won’t be possible unless the Karabakh conflict is settled.

“I have no idea of the way the Karabakh conflict will be settled.

However, I know that the improvement of relations between the two
countries depends on Karabakh conflict settlement. As I see and as
far as I know, the Turkish-Armenian border won’t open unless the
conflict is solved”.

“MARRIOTT” IS LIKELY TO EXPAND ITS ACTIVITY IN ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
14 May, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS: “Marriott” international hotel complex
does not rule out opening of a new hotel in Armenia.

In an interview with Armenpress Steve Horvath, Area Director
Revenue Management Eastern Europe said that they do not exclude that
possibility, but it must make a sense.

“We should study the market, to understand the demand, and only then
adopt such a decision. Marriott, being an international complex,
is always ready to expand its activity in a country like Armenia,”
Horwath assured, stressing that they must first find partners and
then make distinct decisions.

Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan is the only internationally managed
hotel brand located right on Republic Square, business and cultural
center of city.

The Yerevan Hotel features 226 spacious guest rooms, including 11
suites; 2 executive floors & lounge with superior service and the
city center views.

FRICTIONS AU SEIN DU CONGRES NATIONAL ARMENIEN
Gari

armenews.com
mardi 15 mai 2012

A peine entre au Parlement armenien, a la faveur des elections
megislatives du 6 mai, le Congrès national armenien (HAK), bloc de
partis d’opposition conduits par Levon Ter Petrossian, est-il menace
d’eclatement ? La question se pose depuis qu’Aram Sarkisian, grande
figure de l’opposition, a annonce vendredi 11 mai qu’il renoncait a
son siège de l’Assemblee, en precisant que sa formation, Hanrapetutyun
(Republique) pourrait quitter le HAK en raison de desaccords avec la
direction du mouvement.

A.Sarkisian figurait en troisième place sur la liste des candidats
du HAK aux elections du 6 mai, qui ont permis a l’alliance conduite
par L. Ter Petrossian de faire son entree a l’Assemblee nationale,
avec 7 sièges sur les 131 que compte la Chambre. “A tous ceux qui
entrent honnetement a l’Assemblee nationale dans l’espoir de changer
les choses, je leur souhaite du succes, et je ne voudrai pas les
freiner par mes positions realistes et pragmatiques, ainsi que par
ma presence”, a declare A. Sarkisian lors d’une conference de presse
a Erevan. A. Sarkisian, dont le parti est une composante majeure du
HAK, a confirme certaines informations parues dans la presse selon
lesquelles il etait en desaccord croissant avec Ter Petrossian et
l’entourage de l’ancien president.

Les differends auraient surgi au cours du printemps 2011 et se seraient
aggraves depuis, tant sur la politique interieure qu’etrangère. Il
a ainsi precise que son parti, Hanrapetutyun, etait favorable a
des actions plus radicales visant a ” changer le regime ” avant
les dernières elections. Ce parti, qui affiche des positions plus
dures contre le pouvoir en place, s’est aussi montre oppose a la
cooperation avec le parti Armenie prospère (BHK), de l’homme d’affaire
Gagik Tsarukian, esquissee par le HAK. Dans un contexte international
marque par le ” printemps arabe “, le HAK avait lance une campagne
massive de manifestations contre le pouvoir en fevrier 2011. Mais
Ter-Petrossian avait nuance ses positions après que le gouvernement eut
fait plusieurs concessions. Le HAK avait meme engage le dialogue avec
le pouvoir durant l’ete avant de l’interrompre sur un constat d’echec.

Les premiers signes d’une rupture entre Hanrapetutyun et Ter-Petrossian
ont apparu en fevrier dernier quand la direction du HAK a prepare ses
listes de candidats. Les militants du parti n’ont guère apprecie que
A. Sarkisian soit le seul representant de la formation a figurer en
bonne position sur cette liste. A.Sarkisian, qui fut premier ministre
en 1999-2000, a refuse lors de sa conference de presse d’exclure
l’eventualite d’un retrait de son parti du HAK. Il a precise qu’il
rendrait ” bientôt ” ses positions publiques après avoir clarifie la
situation avec ses collaborateurs.

Selon A. Sarkisian, son parti est reste au sein du HAK car il
ne voulait pas faire perdre de voix a l’alliance conduite par
Ter-Petrosian le 6 mai. “Maintenant que le scrutin est passe, nous
sommes libres d’exprimer nos positions”, a-t-il fait savoir. La
direction du HAK a refuse de commenter l’information, Levon Zourabian,
son porte-parole, preferant ne pas speculer sur l’eventualite d’une
ruprure avec ce parti. Il a pourtant fait allusion a certaines des
critiques enoncees par A. Sarkissian, en rappelant que tous au HAK,
etaient favorables a un changement de regime si possible avant le
scrutin, et que parmi la dizaine de partis d’opposition regroupes
dans le HAK, aucun ne s’etait officiellement oppose a une cooperation
avec le BHK quant a une action commune visant a assurer la regularite
du scrutin.

La question de la cooperation avec le BHK reste d’ailleurs au c~ur
des preoccupations de l’opposition. Venu en 2e position derrière le
Parti republicain (HHK) du president Serge Sarkissian lors du scrutin
du 6 mai, le BHK a joint sa voix a deux partis de l’opposition, le HAK
et la FRA Dachnaktsoutioun, pour denoncer les fraudes et irregularites.

Mais dans le meme temps, il pourrait renouveler sa cooperation avec
le HHK au sein d’une coalition gouvernement ale.

Le 14 mai pourtant, les deux grands partis ont tenu a faire savoir
qu’ils n’avaient pas encore engage de negociations officielles en ce
sens. Le premier ministre sortant Tigrane Sarkissian avait laisse
entendre quelques jours avant que des tractations etaient en cours
mais Edouard Chakhnazarov, le porte parole du HHK, qui dispose d’une
confortable majorite a l’Assemblee nationale, a indique que son parti
ne savait pas encore s’il allait partager le pouvoir.

Par ailleurs, au sein du BHK, des voix se sont elevees contre une
nouvelle coalition, comme Vartan Oskanian ou Hmayak Hovannessian, qui
a par exemple conditionne la participation du BHK a une nouvelle
coalition a une declaration officielle du Parti republicain
reconnaissant que ” les elections du 6 mai ne refletaient pas la
reelle volonte des electeurs “.

GREAT POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN-KOREAN RELATIONS – OFFICIAL

news.am
May 14, 2012 | 21:21

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Parliament Speaker Samvel Nikoyan received on
Monday the Korean delegation headed by the South Korea Parliament
Vice Speaker Hong Jae-Hyong.

Nikoyan believes that the MPs’ visit will be a new impetus for the
development between the two states and parliaments, parliamentary
press service informs.

Korean legislative stated in his turn that bilateral relations have
developed actively in the recent 20 years, which inspires optimism
for further cooperation.

In addition, Nikoyan believes that there is great potential to develop
and strengthen the relations between Armenia and Korea, including
trade-economic, scientific-technical, educational and cultural fields.

Armenia’s disposition in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process also
was presented.

AKHTAMAR ISLAND TO BE ILLUMINATED

tert.am
14.05.12

Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Affairs Ministry has decided to continue
the renovation of Akhtamar Island of Van. The ministry is going to
illuminate the island.

The renovation program intends greening the territory of the island
and building an illumination system which will give an opportunity
to visit the island at night too. The program will be implemented in
the summer months. During this period though, the church will be open
for visitors.

Zaman daily reminds that Akhtamar St. Cross Church was reconstructed
in 2007 to show Ankara’s endeavor to improve relations with Armenia.

ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH TO COMMENT ON SITUATION AROUND ST NSHAN

news.am
May 14, 2012 | 15:46

ETCHMIADZIN. – The Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Apostolic
Church (AAC) will convene a session on Tuesday to discuss the issue
of St Nshan church wall collapse in Tbilisi, spokesperson for the
Holy See priest Vahram Melkonyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am adding
the church has not been transferred to the Georgian diocese so far.

According to him, the AAC is concerned about the condition of the
Armenian churches in Georgia and in particular about the fate of St
Nshan, which is in tragic and miserable condition in Tbilisi.

To note, St Nshan was partially damaged on May 13 due to heavy
precipitations. Previously the church was damaged twice earlier this
year due to fires. As a result, a group of experts from the Armenian
Ministry of Culture left for Tbilisi to reach an arrangement with
the Georgian authorities to restore the church.