Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIAN SOLDIERS EXPECT MOD’S VISIT TO HAVE DECENT FOOD – NEWSPAPER

news.am
Aug 10, 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Conditions in the military units after Vazgen Sargsyan
in Ararat region are very poor. The permanent lack of water creates
anti-sanitary conditions, Armenian Hraparak newspaper writes on
Wednesday.

“The food served is also terrible, which has negative impact on
psychological condition of servicemen. They count days when they will
finally get rid of inhuman conditions. According to the soldiers,
they have decent food only when the Armenian MOD arrives at the
military unit,” the newspaper reports.

ARMENIAN OMBUDSMAN CONCERNED OVER DISMANTLING KIOSKS

news.am
Aug 10, 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Karen Andreasyan
is concerned over the issue of dismantling kiosks in Yerevan. Currently
the office studies the issue and plans to ask for clarifications all
responsible bodies.

Employees of the ombudsman office arrived at Papazyan-Komitas crossroad
in Yerevan, where dismantling works have been implementing.

Later they reported every detail to Andreasyan, who will estimate the
issue on August 16, press service of the ombudsman informs Armenia
News-NEWS.am.

KARABAKH TALKS SHOULD CONTINUE – AZERBAIJANI OFFICIAL

news.am
Aug 10, 2011
Armenia

Baku stands for continuation of talks on resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“The presidents’ position can be expressed as follows: the
approximation in the parties’ positions on some issues in accordance
with the basic Madrid principles has become possible at the meetings
and negotiations held recently upon the President Dmitry Medvedev’s
initiative and participation,” Trend agency quotes Azerbaijani top
official Novruz Mammadov.

“Therefore, it is necessary to further continue the negotiations,”
he added.

After the talks Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said the Armenian
leadership repeatedly demonstrated “insincerity, shifting the failure
of negotiations on Azerbaijan, using the opportunities of circles
and Diaspora close to the Armenian leadership”.

According to Mammadov, official from Azerbaijani Presidential
Administration, Aliyev presented to Dmitry Medvedev Baku’s position
on resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

ARMENIAN POLITICIAN URGES POLITICAL FORCES TO UNITE

news.am
Aug 10, 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Leader of Union for National Self-Determination Paruyr
Hayrikyan called on all political forces to form a united bloc to
take part in impending either regular or snap parliamentary elections.

Hayrikyan explained his proposal by lack of democracy in Armenia.

“If the political forces fail to follow our advice, we will make
moves by ourselves,” he told reporters in Yerevan on Wednesday. He
stressed they will wait for the answer till September 20.

The politician stressed they appealed to the oppositional Armenian
National Congress (ANC). However, the ANC did not respond, proving
democracy is not essential for them, added Hayrikyan.

SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES NEEDED, NOT MERE REGIME CHANGE

hetq
August 11, 2011

Heritage Party MP Armen Martirosyan stated today that it was time
to focus on implementing systematic changes in the way government
operates rather than regime change, which also replaces individuals
in positions of power.

He said that this assumes the drafting of a new constitution and
reforming the rules that govern political life in Armenia.

As regards the call of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) for
snap parliamentary elections, MP Martirosyan argues that the current
government would only agree if it felt it would win an overwhelming
majority of seats.

BAKU SPEAKS OF “APPROXIMATION OF POSITIONS” AFTER FAILING KAZAN MEETING ON KARABAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 10, 2011

PanARMENIAN.Net – The head of the foreign affairs department at
Azerbaijan’s Presidential Administration Novruz Mamedov commented on
Sochi-hosted meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and
his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev.

As Mamedov stated, during the meeting and negotiations initiated by
Russian President, the parties to Karabakh conflict approximated their
positions on a number of issues in accordance with Madrid Principles.

As the official noted, negotiations on Karabakh settlement must be
continued, Aze.az reported.

The meeting between Russian President and his Azerbaijani counterpart
was held on August 9 in Sochi.

As the Russian leader noted, Karabakh settlement was the main issue
on agenda. “I’d like to have a sincere conversation to determine
further steps, based on results of trilateral meeting in Kazan,
as well as previous talks,” Medvedev said.

Azerbaijan President, in turn, thanked the Russian leader for efforts
towards Karabakh conflict settlement and providing regional security.

“Previous talks on Karabakh considerably approximated the conflicting
sides’ positions. Azerbaijan takes major interest in conflict
settlement,” Aliyev said.

The Russian leader is expected to meet Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan on the sidelines of August 12 informal OSCE summit.

During the June 24 meeting in Kazan, the Presidents of Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Russia failed to sign an agreement on basic principles
of Karabakh conflict settlement.

As Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian noted later, despite
the OSCE MG co-chairs’ efforts, Azerbaijan was not ready to accept
the final version of basic principles, presenting ten new amendments
at the last moment.

On July 8, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov handed over a
personal message and proposals of RF President Dmitry Medvedev to
Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders, who have already offered replies.

HRANT MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TRIES TO BRING AZERBAIJAN TO NEGOTIATION FIELD

ARMENPRESS
August 10, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS: The invitation of Ilham Alyev to
Sochi by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev means that Azerbaijan
is the party, which calls forth issues in the negotiation process,
political specialist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan said today at a meeting
with journalists, referring to yesterday’s meeting of Russian and
Azerbaijani Presidents in Sochi. “Today international community,
including Russia, tries to bring Azerbaijan to negotiations field,”
Hrant Meliq-Shahnazaryan stressed.

The political specialist is of the opinion that it is early to give
assessments about the results of Sochi meeting, and they can be summed
up only after the CSTO non-official summit, which will be summoned
in near future in Astana. According to him, if within the frameworks
of the summit after the meeting of Armenian and Russian Presidents
there is a speech about organization of new trilateral meetings of
negotiations over NK conflict settlement, we can say that Dmitry
Medvedev and Ilham Aliyev have succeeded to come to an agreement
in Sochi.

Military expert Artsrun Hovhannisyan expressed an opinion that the
Russian President invited Aliyev to Sochi, as it was very Azerbaijan
that failed the Kazan meeting. According to him, the Kazan meeting
showed that Azerbaijan has unspecified issues and positions. “The
Russian President has tired of organizing meetings, when there is
no confidence that any development will be registered during those
meetings,” Mr. Hovhannisyan added.

MEDVEDEV WANTS ‘SINCERE TALK’ ON KARABAKH WITH ALIYEV

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 9, 2011 – 15:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The meeting between Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev is focusing on
expansion of bilateral ties, Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement,
global economy-related as well as regional issues.

As the Russian leader noted, Karabakh settlement is the main issue
on agenda. “I’d like to have a sincere conversation to determine
further steps, based on results of trilateral meeting in Kazan,
as well as previous talks,” RIA Novosti cited Medvedev as saying.

Azerbaijan President, in turn, thanked the Russian leader for efforts
towards Karabakh conflict settlement and providing regional security.

“Previous talks on Karabakh considerably approximated the conflicting
sides’ positions. Azerbaijan takes major interest in conflict
settlement,” Aliyev said.

The Russian leader is expected to meet Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan on the sidelines of August 12 informal OSCE summit.

During the June 24 meeting in Kazan, the Presidents of Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Russia failed to sign an agreement on basic principles
of Karabakh conflict settlement.

As Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian noted later, despite
the OSCE MG co-chairs’ efforts, Azerbaijan was not ready to accept
the final version of basic principles, presenting ten new amendments
at the last moment.

On July 8, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov handed over a
personal message and proposals of RF President Dmitry Medvedev to
Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders, who have already offered replies.

HERITAGE MEMBER SKEPTICAL ABOUT SNAP PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 9, 2011 – 13:49 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Member of Heritage opposition party Armen Martirosyan
is skeptical about the possibility of snap presidential elections.

“Some opposition parties support Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan,
strengthening his position in the eyes of international community,”
Martirosyan told a news conference in Yerevan, explaining the reason
behind his skepticism.

However, the oppositionist declined to provide details, offering
journalists to take a guess, while citing Armenian National Congress
(ANC) leader Levon Ter-Petrossian. As the latter noted at recent ANC
rally, “opposition-coalition dialogue benefited the state, increasing
its authority with the international community.” Martirosyan, however,
refused to provide comments on the course of the dialogue.

As he noted, the authorities will risk pre-term elections only in
case they’re certain of their superiority or resolve to sacrifice
them in favor of a specific person. “With regular elections coming,
several months won’t make a difference in any case,” the oppositionist
concluded.

LA COALITION ARMENIENNE ET L’OPPOSITION POURSUIVENT LE DIALOGUE
Marion

armenews.com
mardi 9 aout 2011

Les representants de la coalition et le principal parti d’opposition,
le Congrès national armenien (HAK), se sont mis d’accord pour organiser
davantage de reunions lors de leur troisième entrevue jeudi.

Ils se rencontreront maintenant deux fois par semaine pour poursuivre
le dialogue. La dernière reunion etait focalisee sur les questions
de procedure.

Levon Zurabian, le chef negociateur du HAK, a annonce aux journalistes
que les prochains pourparlers porteront sur les elections anticipees
que revendique le parti de l’opposition.

” Lors du prochain rendez-vous, le HAK presentera officiellement ses
propositions et les justifiera “, a-t-il affirme.

Selon Zurabian, les representants de la coalition ont demande aux
negociateurs de l’opposition d’imposer une date d’echeance en septembre
pour les autorites armeniennes concernant les elections anticipees
et de faire face a une nouvelle vague anti-gouvernementale.

Le leader du HAK, Levon Ter-Petrosian a confirme ce delai lors d’un
rassemblement a Erevan mardi.

” Nous reiterons ce que nous avons deja annonce lors de la première
reunion “, a declare Zurabian. ” Nous considererons que les
possibilites de dialogue sont epuisees si nous ne constatons aucun
resultat d’ici septembre, excepte si nous trouvons un accord que nous
pourrons presenter a la population. Cet accord serait un signe que
les negociations sont sur la bonne voie et que nous pourrions trouver
une solution “.

” Nous n’avons pas de delai mais nous travaillons intensivement “,
a affirme Davit Harutiunian, le chef de la coalition.

Le mois dernier, l’equipe de la coalition souhaitait discuter de
la principale revendication de l’opposition malgre les nombreuses
declarations du president Serge Sarkissian et ses allies qui excluent
toute possibilite d’etablir de nouvelles elections. Elle a propose que
les pourparlers avec le HAK mettent l’accent sur ” la mise en place
de règles qui garantiront la tenue d’elections de manière civilisee “.

Harutiunian et les membres de son equipe representant les trois partis
gouvernementaux ont presente aux representants du HAK les mesures
qui renforceront la legitimite des futures elections armeniennes.

Lors d’une declaration redigee avant la reunion, le HAK a accuse
les autorites de continuer a harceler ses jeunes militants et de
bloquer les transports entre Erevan et le reste du pays avant le
rassemblement. Il a affirme que cela prouvait que la coalition au
pouvoir est engagee dans un ” dialogue mimetique “.

Zurabian a averti son equipe qu’il pourrait refuser de poursuivre le
dialogue avec la coalition si les autorites continuent a mener des
actions illegales.

Harutiunian a affirme que la police armenienne enquetent maintenant
sur ces reclamations. La delagation va egalement se pencher sur la
question de l’obstruction des transports publics denoncee par le HAK.