Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIAN COMMUNISTS SURE TO HAVE SEATS IN NEXT PARLIAMENT

news.am
April 04, 2012 | 16:51

YEREVAN. – The Communist Party of Armenia will hold meetings with
the voters in all the regions, the First Secretary of the Party Ruben
Tovmasyan said at a press conference on Wednesday.

According to him, the internet survey revealed that the party may
receive over 11% of votes.

“The ideas of the communism are not dead. The state should be returned
to the workers, while the farmers should not be slaves of their own
land. The nation is sick and tired of the incumbent authorities,”
Tovmasyan said adding the party has another mottos, including “Let
us return the authority and wealth to nation” and “Nation wins if
Communists win”.

The Communist Party of Armenia is running for the parliament jointly
with the Progressive United Communist Party.

In the period of Armenia’s independence the party was presented in
the parliament in 1991-2003. Ruben Tovmasyan is first secretary of the
Central Committee of the Communist Party of Armenia. The party’s mottos
are ‘Nation wins if Communists win’ and ‘Socialism, homeland, victory.’

The party’s proportional list includes 75 names.

ANCA: TURKEY CAN’T BRIBE U.S. INTO SILENCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 4, 2012 – 13:38 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Both Turkish Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan
and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu have developed the bad habit of
taking for granted continued American support for Armenian Genocide
denial, Executive Director of Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) said.

“Having exported their own Article 301 gag-rule to Washington,
Turkish authorities think that they can forever bully and bribe the
United States into silence on this human rights issue. Thankfully,
neither Erdogan nor Davutoglu – or for that matter Secretary
Clinton – has a vote in the U.S. Congress. It’s up to the elected
representatives of the American people to reject foreign pressure,
reaffirm American values, and reflect the views of U.S. citizens
by passing the Armenian Genocide Resolution,” Aram Hamparian told
PanARMENIAN.Net when commenting on U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton’s statement noting that the “Armenian Genocide resolution
won’t be put on America’s foreign policy agenda this year.”

Earlier, Hillary Clinton met with Turkish PM Erdogan and FM Davutoglu
in the framework of the Friends of Syria conference in Istanbul. The
Turkish officials stressed “the need to stop annual submittal of
Armenian Genocide resolutions to the U.S. Congress on the eve of
April 24.”

According to Turkish media reports, Clinton stressed that “the issue
bears sensitive character for Turkey and that such a resolution won’t
be put on U.S. agenda this year.”

On March 20, U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL)
introduced legislation, S.Res.399, calling upon the U.S. government
to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide and to use the lessons
of this atrocity to prevent future crimes against humanity.

“It is time for the United States to join the nineteen nations
including Belgium, Canada, France, Italy and the European Union
that have formally recognized the actions carried out by the Ottoman
Empire from 1915 to 1923 as genocide,” Senator Menendez said. “The
Armenian Genocide is a historical fact and was one of the incidents
upon which the Genocide Convention was predicated. Only by accurately
acknowledging the crimes of the past can we ever hope to move forward
in a legitimate manner and prevent such human rights crimes from
happening in the future.”

“The Armenian Genocide is well-documented and formally recognized by
11 NATO allies and the European Union. This resolution accurately
characterizes the events of 1915-1923 as a genocide, honors the
memory of the victims, and strengthens America’s moral leadership on
human rights and the prevention of mass atrocities around the world,”
said a spokesman for Senator Kirk.

BEYOND LAWS AND SMILE
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 13:31:15 – 04/04/2012

Introducing the new Commander of Police Internal Troops Levon
Yeranosyan, Chief of Police Vova Gasparyan said that he is a military
officer, with a rich experience and he hopes the police troops,
under Yeranosyan’s leadership, will undergo qualitative changes and
will serve for the solution of the issues.

According to the official statement of the police, Vladimir Gasparyan
dwelt on the shortcomings in the police and instructed the staff
to eliminate them in a short period paying major attention to the
healing of the moral-psychological atmosphere and the unconditional
fulfilment of the official duties.

As we know, Levon Yernosyan has moved to the Police from the army,
he was the commander of the Third army corps. Why does Vova Gasparyan
point out his being a military officer and having a rich experience,
considering them in the context of the solution of the issues that
the Police face?

How will the military rich experience of Yeranosyan promote the
qualitative progress in the solution of issues by the police? Against
whom is he going to use his rich experience? The police tasks deal
with the reaction of internal challenges of the country preserving
the public order or restoring the constitutional order.

Does the power see any threats which cause the necessity to appoint
a military officer with “rich military experience and biography”
Chief of Police Internal Forces? Does this mean that the power is
preparing so-called military actions for the police?

In this context, Vova Gasparyan’s observation that it is necessary
to pay major attention to the healing of the moral-physiological
atmosphere of the troops and the fulfilment of the official duties
is interesting.

This is a very noteworthy observation. How is the moral-psychological
state in the troops? Do the troops have moral-psychological problems
after the March 1, 2008 when the troops were forced to face the
citizens resulting in 10 deaths, including police officers? Have these
events influenced on the police troops making them think whether using
force and shooting against their citizens of their country is right,
if the citizens don’t pursue anything else but their constitutional
rights.

Will Levon Yeranosyan with his military experience and biography
remove these doubts from the police and inspire the hostile feeling
towards the citizens convincing them that if necessary the police
should do its duties unconditionally.

Police Chief Vova Gasparyan has recently stated that the police should
fulfil its election mission lawfully and smiling. What about the
post-election period? Nothing is said in this connection. Instead, the
law on the state of emergency is rapidly adopted, then a general with
rich military experience is appointed chief of internal police troops.

Interesting, in what frame does all this fit – law or smile?

OUR DELEGATION BOYCOTTS DINNER OFFERED BY MEJLIS CHAIRMAN IN BAKU

12:25 . 04/04

In Baku Armenian delegation yesterday boycotted the dinner offered
by the Azerbaijani Mejlis and didn’t participate in it.

To recall, after the rough expressions by Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev in address of Armenians in his speech during the Euronest
plenary session, the situation became tense. As we informed yesterday,
Armenian delegation head Vahan Hovhannisyan responded to Aliyev.

After the session the security of our delegation was strengthened
and the local mass media were prohibited to get into contact with
our delegation.

The Armenian delegation will return to Armenian today.

GEORGIA’S OPPOSITION BILLIONAIRE MEETS WITH ARMENIAN COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES

news.am
April 04, 2012 | 13:44

Georgian opposition leader, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili got
together with representatives from Georgia’s Armenian community,
RFE/RL informs.

“Multinational Georgia” NGO Coordinator Arnold Stepanyan informed
that Ivanishvili had met with the country’s Azerbaijani community
ten days ago, and now he got together with the Armenians.

The event brought together more than thirty representatives,
intellectuals, NGO officials, and businessmen from Georgia’s Armenian
community.

As per Stepanyan, the meeting’s main objective was that Bidzina
Ivanishvili wished to receive the Armenian community’s support in
Georgia’s parliamentary elections scheduled for early October.

Also, the Armenian community representatives in attendance prepared a
memorandum of cooperation with Ivanishvili’s “Georgian Dream” alliance.

MAMMADYAROV CASTS DOUBT ON LAVROV’S KNOWLEDGE OF UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS

arminfo
Wednesday, April 4, 15:07

ArmInfo-Turan. The “status quo” does not meet the interests of
either Azerbaijan or Armenia. The latter seeks to get access to the
outside world. “The ultimate goal is to address specific people. I
disagree with the opinion that the negotiations do not take into
account the interests of Azerbaijani refugees. The mediators have
always paid special attention to the problem of refugees’ return,”
Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov said at the meeting with
his Azerbaijani counterpart in Baku, Tuesday.

Lavrov also disagreed with the view that the four UN Security Council
resolutions on Nagorno Karabakh conflict are not fulfilled. He said
that the resolutions were adopted at the height of the conflict,
and the goal was to stop the military actions, and this objective has
been achieved. Afterwards the Minsk Group was set up and led by Russia
and the United States, and then France joined them. Lavrov stressed
that the parties themselves have agreed to resolve the conflict in
the format of OSCE Minsk Group.

Mammadyarov, in turn, kindly corrected his colleague, recalling
that the UN Security Council resolutions demanded immediate and
unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian troops from “the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan.” Mammadyarov noted that the UN Security
Council resolutions “do not have a period of limitation” and Azerbaijan
considers their fulfillment necessary. He also noted that Azerbaijan
understands and accepts that within the OSCE Minsk Group the process
should be continued and brought to its logical conclusion – the legal
status of Nagorno-Karabakh. “These are links in a chain”, said the
Azerbaijani minister.

Since 1992 the OSCE Minsk Group represented by co-chairs from Russia,
U.S. and France has been mediating in resolution of the conflict
unleashed by Azerbaijan in 1988. At present the peace process is
based on the Madrid Principles suggested by the OSCE MG in 2007 in
Madrid and renovated in 2009.

NUMEROUS KUWAITIS WILL SPEND THEIR SUMMER VACATION IN ARMENIA – KUWAIT’S AMBASSADOR

news.am
April 04, 2012 | 12:46

YEREVAN. – Armenian capital Yerevan’s Mayor, Taron Margaryan, met with
the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Armenia, Bassam Muhammad Alqabandi. They
discussed matters relating to experience exchange in urban economy
management and developing the investment field, Yerevan City Hall
press service informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Underscoring the potential investments to the capital’s economy,
the Mayor introduced several programs that present an investment
interest in Yerevan.

In his turn, the Kuwaiti ambassador expressed a readiness to introduce
an investment offer package to his country’s investment companies.

“You have a wonderful country and people. And I believe this summer
numerous Kuwaitis will prefer to spend their vacation in Armenia and
in Yerevan,” Bassam Muhammad Alqabandi noted.

ANTI-ARMENIAN PERFORMANCE IN TURKEY TURNS INTO A TRAGEDY: THE ACTOR EMBODYING ARMENIAN WAS SHOT

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 4, 2012
VAN

VAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. At the theatrical performance, performed
under the auspices of Turkish authorities, where the organizers showed
off their deep hatred towards Armenians, Turk soldier shot and wounded
“Armenian soldier”,Armenpress reports citing Turkish Dogan News Agency.

The city hall organized the performance in the center of the city
in the frame of the 94 anniversary of the Artchesh liberty from
Armenians, where “hero” Turk soldiers are emancipating their lands
from Armenians. The performance, ridiculous in nature for Turks,
turned to a tragedy. During the performance the actor embodying Turk
soldier shot “Armenian soldier” Turk in nationality Murad Alpslaze.

Heavy wounded actor was rushed to hospital.

The Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation to determine how
could the “weapons anticipated for performance be genuine”? Turkish
authorities instead of stepping efforts to abolish the Van earthquake
disastrous consequences are busy with performing Anti Armenian events.

BACK FROM BAKU: EURONEST DELEGATES SAY, ALIYEV’S RHETORIC ASIDE, ALL WAS GOOD AT ASSEMBLY SESSION
By Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow
05.04.12 | 16:07

Members of the Armenian delegation who returned from Baku, Azerbaijan,
and the 2nd plenary session of Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, said
the meeting was positive, despite the inflammatory rhetoric that
grabbed headlines.

Head of the Armenian delegation and chairman of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF, Dashnaktsutyun) parliamentary faction
Vahan Hovhannisyan says that the first day of the session passed
quietly, however, the next day Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev
started his speech using anti-Armenian statements.

“He [Aliyev] called Armenians ‘occupiers’ and ‘fascists’. This
speech had a very negative effect; it was like a cold shower for all
delegates. During the break even the Azeri lawmakers approached us
and said that they felt bad about Aliyev’s speech, too,” Hovhannisyan
says, however not mentioning the names of those lawmakers.

The members of the Armenian delegation say Aliyev’s outburst did more
damage to his own country than anything the Armenians might have said
even if they tried.

During the session the Armenian delegation was isolated from media.

According to Hovhannisyan, mass media representatives managed to
approach them only the first day of the session, however, “they were
simply driven out.”

“A Reuters’ journalist hardly managed to take [record] two sentences;
he was driven out. But I, using my ‘secret revolutionary tricks’,
managed to give an interview to a mass media representative,”
Hovhannsiyan says.

The members of the delegation are satisfied with the hospitality in
Azerbaijan, and the treatment of the hotel personnel. Even walking
in Baku they did not feel that they were subject to Azeri hostility.

Head of Heritage parliamentary faction Stepan Safaryan says that
they have visited an Armenian church, which was without a cross,
and the Armenian primacy, which Azeris have turned into a library.

Referring to the criticism voiced by some press, that the Armenian
delegation should have left the hall after Aliyev’s statement,
Hovhannisyan says: “We could leave the hall, however, it was our
work, we are full members of Euronest, and Azerbaijan was the hosting
country, and Aliyev was simply a guest at the Assembly.”

LITHUANIA INTERESTED IN DEEPENING OF ECONOMIC TIES WITH ARMENIA

NEWS.AM
April 05, 2012 | 14:10

YEREVAN.- High level Armenian-Lithuanian political relations should
be used to boost economic ties, the foreign ministers of two states
believe.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian welcomed his Lithuanian
counterpart Audronius Ažubalis stressing the relations are developing
dynamically.

During the Thursday meeting the Ministers discussed regional and
bilateral issues, talks on the association agreement, strengthening
of Armenia-EU relations.

Minister Nalbandian underscored Lithuania was the first to recognize
Armenia’s independence and the first Baltic state to open embassy
in Yerevan.

In his turn Lithuanian Minister stressed that political relations
must serve a basis to promote economic ties adding several Lithuanian
companies intend to work in Armenia.

Other fields to develop bilateral ties are education and culture.

Minister Ažubalis said Lithuania is glad to host Armenian students.