Author: Kanayan Tamar

Zardusht Alizadeh. “America is actually powerless to Azerbaijan’s actions.”

August 16 2014

On August 2, during the peace festival held in participation of
Armenian and Azeri youth in Tekali village, Georgia, we had an
interview with political scientist Zardusht Alizadeh. We told him that
recently many civil society representatives have been detained in
Azerbaijan, which caused a strong criticism to the Azerbaijani
authorities by the United States. Is this criticism formal, or the US
actually does not have opportunities to influence on Azerbaijan?
Alizadeh said, “The United States is truly criticizing. But let’s be
realistic, what opportunities does the United States have to influence
on Azerbaijan? It did not bring in troops, I hope no one believes it,
as for the financial leverage, Azerbaijan is financially a
self-sufficient country, even it has more than 50 billion dollars
surplus and it has no need for finances and loans. As to the moral
aspects, they are of less importance to the Azerbaijani leadership.
Therefore, America is actually powerless to Azerbaijan’s actions, and
has no leverage except for moral calls. The Azerbaijani authorities,
yes, exert pressure, and make the civil society representatives be
silent. For what purpose? Their main objective is to hold the European
games, so that no one would interfere with them in conducting these
costly measures, which will enable them to be reach and then,
possibly, God grant, will conduct the Olympic Games and will put 50
billion into their pockets.”

Voskan SARGSYAN
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Armenian commanders, soldier always ready to defend homeland – Rafael Gzoyan

13:32 * 16.08.14

In an interview with Tert.am, one of the Armenian commanders in the
Arstakh liberation war, Major General Rafael (Felix) Gzoyan spoke of
the situation on the Line of Contact and of his view of a settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

He also spoke of Armenia’s military potential and people’s willingness
to defend their homeland.

“If a war breaks out, I will take anyone. If I go to war and they are
not with me, I will force them regardless of whose sons they are,” Mr
Gzoyan said.

“By escalating tension on the threshold of political meetings
Azerbaijan aimed at escalating tension inside Armenia and
demonstrating its influence not only on Armenia, but also on the
international community, raising its troops’ morale. But all the
attempts failed, because our armed forces are much more efficient and
they have been able to thwart all the acts of sabotage by Azerbaijan.
This is evidence that our commanders and soldiers are ready to win
victory in any military operations. And this small victory inspires
our freedom-fighters and young people. I am sure that they are willing
to defend the homeland if a war breaks out.”

As regards the probability of war, Mr Gzoyan said:

“I do not think long-lasting peace will be established after the Sochi
meeting, so we must be ready to rebuff the enemy. I cannot say how
long the ceasefire will be. Our priority task is to improve our
troops’ morale and efficiency.”

Armenian News – Tert.am

Vagharshak Haroutiunyan: Azerbaijani Armed Forces have no means to
reflect Armenian missiles
by Nana Martirosyan

Saturday, August 16, 12:47

Azerbaijan’s leadership is well aware that Armenia’s missiles are
capable of hitting any facility in Azerbaijan and they have no means
fore defense, the fromer minister of defense Vagharshak Haroutiunyan
told RFE/RL Armenian Service.

Despite its massive military buildup Azerbaijan still lacks the
capacity to protect its strategic facilities against Armenian missile
strikes in case of another war for Nagorno-Karabakh, the retired
Armenian army general claimed on Friday.

Armenia and Azerbaijan threatened each other with devastating
long-range attacks during the recent escalation of fighting along the
border between the two states and “the line of contact” around
Karabakh. Each side claimed to be capable of destroying any target in
the other’s territory.

The Armenian military had made clear earlier that it will target
Azerbaijan’s vital oil and gas installations if Baku acts on its
threats to reconquer Karabakh and the surrounding Armenian-controlled
territories.

General Vagharshak Harutiunian, who had served as Armenia’s defense
minister in 1999-2000, insisted that the Azerbaijani army lacks the
kind of sophisticated weapons that can neutralize such strikes. He
said S-300 surface-to-air missile systems purchased by Azerbaijan from
Russia in 2010 can only be used for anti-aircraft purposes. “S-300 is
a serious system, but it needs special missiles in order to be used
for missile defense,” Harutiunian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service
(Azatutyun.am). “Russia doesn’t sell such missiles to any other
state.”

Azerbaijan may also possess Israeli missile defense systems. They were
reportedly among $1.6 billion worth of weapons which Israeli defense
firms agreed to sell to Baku in 2012. Speaking about the Armenian
missile arsenal, Harutiunian singled out Soviet-manufactured Scud-B
systems with a firing range of 300 kilometers. The Armenian army also
has more precise Russian Tochka- U ballistic missiles with a firing
range of 120 kilometers.

President Serzh Sarkisian promised last December that Armenia will
acquire more powerful weapons in the coming years. “One or two more
years, and you will be able to proudly say that the Armenian army
possesses weapons which other states 20, 30 or 40 times our size do
not possess,” he told soldiers at a military base in the northeastern
Tavush province.

Some analysts believe that Sarkisian referred to Russian
state-of-the-art Iskander-M missiles that can strike targets more than
400 kilometers away. Iskander was designed to overcome any of the
existing missile defense shields.

“They don’t aim to start war,” Harutiunian said of Baku. “They realize
that if a war breaks out they are not going to win. That is why they
provoke incidents and sabotage attacks, rather than use heavy weapons.
They don’t reach a point where a war is inevitable.”

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Armenia team missed many opportunities at chess Olympiad, Aronian confesses

14:56, 15 August, 2014

YEREVAN, AUGST 15, ARMENPRESS. According to leader of Armenian Men’s
Chess Team and the second number in FIDE rating list Levon Aronian,
the Armenian Chess team missed its chances at the Olympiad.

As “Armenpress” reports citing Chessnews website, among other things,
Levon Aronyan particularly underscored: “We missed many opportunities.
After an unsuccessful confrontation with France, we continued in the
same way. We faced strong competitors from the very beginning, and we
didn’t have time to get into the game. It was hot in the competition
area; this was one of the biggest problems.”

The Armenian men’s chess team celebrated a victory over the Czech
Republic’s team in the final round of the chess Olympiad.
As reports “Armenpress”, the leader of the Armenian men’s chess team
Levon Aronian defeated David Navara. The Armenian GM’s opponent was
forced to surrender after the 27th move. Then, Vladimir Hakobian
shared a point with Vlastimil Babula. Sergei Movsisyan and Zbynek
Hracek match ended in a tie. The long struggle between Gabriel
Movsisyan and Viktor Laznicka also ended in a draw.

The Chinese team was declared the new champion. They gained advantage
over the Polish team in the final round of the tournament.

HAFIZ HAJIYEV: I WILL BE THE GOVERNOR OF KARABAKH

Fri 15 August 2014 05:03 GMT | 6:03 Local Time

“Armenians can stay there to live and work.”

Members of “Modern Musavat” appealed to the Ministry of Defence with
the requirement to send them to the front as a volunteer.

Oxu.Az reports citing haqqin.az that the statement came from the
party chairman Hafiz Hajiyev speaking to journalists.

According to him, more than a thousand of party members signed up to
the ranks of volunteers.

“We have a list of 1,000 people. Among them are veterans of the
Karabakh and Afghan wars. Personally, we with my son have already
signed up and we even ordered a military uniform. I call on all
opposition parties to join us, ” said Hafiz Hajiyev.

The party chairman also admitted that he knows how to handle a gun.

“When we liberate Karabakh, I personally will be its governor. This
is our land, and Armenians can stay there to live and work, ” he said.

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO OSCE CONDEMNS AZERBAIJANI PROVOCATIONS AND MURDER OF THE ARMENIAN CAPTIVE

Friday 15 August 2014 10:45
Photo: MFA

Arman Kirakosyan

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Head of Armenian Mission to the OSCE, Ambassador
Arman Kirakosyan addressed a speech at the special session of the
Permanent Council of the organization yesterday condemning the public
humiliation of inhabitant of Chinari village Karen Petrosyan who
had accidentally found himself in the Azerbaijani territory and the
tortures which led to his death.

The Armenian Ambassador strongly condemned Azerbaijan provocations
along Nagorno Karabakh contact line and Armenia-Azerbaijan border
which entailed casualties and aggravated the tension in the region,
Mediamaxreports. It was noted that Azerbaijan continued breaking the
trilateral agreements concluded in 1994 May and 1995 February and
neglects the calls of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and international
community to avoid provocative actions and settle the conflict through
exclusively peaceful negotiations.

Arman Kirakosyan expressed his deep concern that Azerbaijani soldiers
started using heavy weapons and continue firing at the border villages
and civilians.

The Armenian Ambassador stressed that refusing the mediators’ proposal
to set up a mechanism of investigating border incidents, Baku thus
undertakes the whole responsibility for the ceasefire violations
and casualties.

The Armenian Ambassador reiterated the importance of establishing
an investigation mechanism noting that jointly with the Minsk Group
Co-Chairs Armenia will take all the necessary steps to prevent the
provocations, stabilize the situation and continue the negotiations
process to settle the NK conflict in a solely peaceful way, through
negotiations.

The Ambassador expressed the hope that as a result of the Sochi
meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents initiated by
Russian President on August 10, Azerbaijan will stop anti-Armenian
and bellicose rhetoric and provocations and will take efforts to
peaceful settlement of the conflict instead.

ARMENIA WON’T BAN IMPORT OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS FROM U.S. AND EU AFTER JOINING EEU

Friday 15 August 2014 10:39
Photo: Photolure

Garegin Melkonyan

Yerevan/Mediamax/. After joining Eurasian Economic Union, Armenia is
not going to restrict import of agricultural products, feedstock and
food from U.S. and EU states.

First Deputy Minister of Economy Garegin Melkonyan told Mediamax’s
correspondent about it.

“The restrictions announced by Russia can only be used in Russia’s
territory. Under the relevant provisions of the Agreement on Eurasian
Economic Union, the sides have the right to take some protective and
restricting measures”, Garegin Melkonyan told Mediamax.

It should be recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin banned
import of particular agricultural products, feedstock and food to
Russia from the states which have imposed sanctions on Russia. The
list of the banned items particularly includes meat, fish, fruit,
cheese and dairy.

Deputy Minister of Economy called the attention to the information
disseminated in the media according to which other EEU states- Belarus
and Kazakhstan- stated that they won’t join the sanctions used by
Russia and won’t impose any restrictions on the import of agricultural
products and food from the states applying sanctions on Russia.

MEGEVE – BIENTOT UNE COOPERATION AVEC L’AZERBAIDJAN

REVUE DE PRESSE

Le mardi 26 aout, une delegation d’Azerbaïdjan sera recue a la mairie
de Megève pour la signature d’une charte de cooperation avec la ville
de Qusar. Le maire de cette dernière et l’ambassadeur d’Azerbaïdjan
en France seront ainsi presents. Celle-ci sera l’occasion d’echanger
autour de ce partenariat entre les deux communes mais egalement
de finaliser la mise en oeuvre d’une semaine culturelle dediee
a l’Azerbaïdjan qui se deroulera en janvier a Megève. La region
de Qusar, au nord-ouest du pays, a ete designee pour accueillir la
première station de ski d’Azerbaïdjan, ce qui represente un chantier
colossal de plusieurs milliards de dollars, debute au printemps 2010.

La station disposera a terme de deux departs etages : un a 1 435 mètres
comportant un grand bâtiment rassemblant services (ecole de ski /
location) et hôtellerie abordable et le second a 1 651m qui sera la
partie emblematique, censee lui conferer une stature internationale
grâce a ses hôtels de luxe et leur architecture audacieuse, ainsi que
quelques villas de privilegies. Le developpement, en trois phases, est
prevu pour etre acheve d’ici trois a cinq ans. Après un report l’annee
dernière, la station a finalement accueilli ses premiers skieurs le 14
janvier dernier. Le chantier comportait au maximum de son intensite
3 000 ouvriers travaillant pour une centaine d’entreprises. Parmi
elles, de nombreuses europeennes comme Doppelmayr a la construction
des remontees mecaniques, Technoalpin pour le reseau d’enneigement
artificiel, SkiData a la billeterie, Kassbohrer et PGI Management au
niveau de l’exploitation de la station.

jeudi 14 août 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

BORUSSIA DORTMUND PAR UN BUT D’HENRIKH MKHITARYAN REMPORTE LA SUPERCOUPE D’ALLEMAGNE (2-0) FACE AU BAYERN MUNICH

FOOTBALL

Mercredi 13 août au Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund pleine a craquer
avec ses 80 667 spectateurs le Borussia Dortmund a remporte
la Supercoupe d’Allemagne en s’imposant 2-0 face aux champions
d’Allemagne le Bayern Munich. En conservant son titre, le Borussia
Dortmund remporte egalement pour la quatrième fois de son histoire
la Supercoupe d’Allemagne ! Après une domination du Bayern Munich
en debut de match, le cours de la rencontre allait s’inverser avec
l’Armenien Henrikh Mkhitaryan aux >.

L’international Armenien Henrikh Mkhitaryan ouvre le score pour
Borussia Dortmund face au Bayern Munich en Supercoupe d’Allemagne

A la 23e minute de la rencontre, Henrikh Mkhitaryan allait donner un
coup d’accelerateur avec une action toute en vitesse partie du milieu
de terrain. L’international Armenien trouvait Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
dans la surface du Bayern de Munich. Mais le ballon, contre, revenait
vers Mkhitaryan qui d’une puissante frappe allait ouvrir le score et
donner confiance au Borussia Dortmund. Aubameyang doublait le score a
la 62e minute. Borussia Dortmund s’imposant 2-0 face au Bayern Munich
remporte ainsi sa première victoire en match officiel cette saison. Une
victoire encourageante a quelques jours du debut de la Bundesliga.

“Premier buteur de la rencontre sur une frappe des vingt mètres (1-0,
23e), l’Armenien a ete la plaque tournante du Borussia” ecrit le site
d’Eurosport.fr qui salue la performance d’Henrikh Mkhitaryan qui sera
sans doute cette saison l’un des joueurs-cles du Borussia.

Krikor Amirzayan

Henrikh Mkhitaryan vient d’ouvrir le score face au Bayern Munich
Henrikh Mkhitaryan en action Henrikh Mkhitaryan remporte le duel
L’international Armenien Henrikh Mkhitaryan remporte la Supercoupe
d’Allemagne avec le Borussia Dortmund

jeudi 14 août 2014, Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

ZHOGHOVURD: NO ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ARMENIA IN FIRST HALF OF 2014

10:20 * 13.08.14

Armenia’s Statistical Service reports no industrial growth in Armenia
in the first half of 2014.

“We have hardly had any economic growth for the past six years,”
economist Vardan Bostanjyan told the newspaper.

Of course, the financial crisis could account for the situation,
but the economic policy implemented for the past four years must be
the actual reason.

Armenian News – Tert.am