Author: Kanayan Tamar

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.

ARMENIAN OFFICIAL: ALIYEV “COLD-SHOWERED” EUROPEAN MPS AT EURONEST

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 5, 2012 – 13:22 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Vahan Hovhannisyan, head of the Armenian delegation
to Euronest Parliamentary Assembly commented on the statement of
Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev at plenary sitting saying it came
as a “cold shower” for the European MPs.

Touching upon the need for Armenian delegation to go to Baku,
Hovhannisyan said: “We had to go, because president Aliyev, probably
involuntarily, damaged his country’s political image so badly we
could never do, however hard we tried.”

Hovhannisyan said many PA representatives and even Azerbaijani MPs whom
he did not name for known reasons, approached the Armenian delegation
after Azerbaijani president’s statement to voice their disagreement
with Aliyev’s words and support the Armenians.

Head of delegation also noted that prior to this statement, during
a meeting with Euronest Bureau management Aliyev never raised the
Karabakh problem.

On April 3, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev called Armenians
“fascists” during a plenary sitting of Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
in Baku. The statement sparked resentment of the Armenian delegation
which dubbed it improper and beyond diplomatic norms. Representative
of Euronest delegation and other countries also expressed discontent
with Aliyev’s conduct.

Euronest inter-parliamentary union includes Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

NKR PRESIDENT, RA DEFENSE MINISTER DISCUSS ARMY-BUILDING ISSUES

armradio.am
05.04.2012 12:13

On April 5 President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
received the Defense Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Seyran
Ohanyan.

Issues related to army-building and cooperation between the two
Armenian states in the defense sphere were discussed at the meeting,
Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR President
reported.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SENT A LETTER OF CONDOLENCES TO D. MEDVEDEV

03.04.12, 18:43

President Serzh Sargsyan sent a letter of condolences to the President
of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev on the air crush which took
place near Tyumen and which claimed numerous lives and caused many
casualties. Press service of Armenian President informs about this.

Serzh Sargsyan requested to convey his condolences and words of
encouragement to the families and friends of the victims and speedy
recovery to those who suffered in this tragedy.

EXPERT LINKS CYPRIOT FM’S VISIT TO ARMENIA WITH CYPRUS EU PRESIDENCY

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 3, 2012 – 16:23 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian political analyst explained the meetings of
Cyprus’ Foreign Minister with “neighbors” of Europe by the country’s
intention to assume EU presidency in near future.

According to Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan, Armenia became one of the
countries FM Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis visited due to its active
cooperation with European institutions. The expert further linked the
official’s visit with EU-Armenia partnership rather than discussion
of problems with Turkey.

Cyprus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis will pay
an official visit to Armenia April 3-4, on the invitation of Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian.

Meetings with President Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister Tigran Sargysan,
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II are on Cypriot official’s
visit agenda, as well as a joint news conference with Mr Nalbandian.

Cypriot Minister will also be taken on a tour over Tsiternakaberd
Memorial to commemorate Armenian Genocide victims.