Author: Kanayan Tamar

FREE DEMOCRATS: ARMENIA MUST DEMAND EXPLANATIONS FROM PRESIDENT PUTIN REGARDING SALE OF RUSSIAN ARMS TO AZERBAIJAN

Monday, December 2, 14:20

Armenia must demand explanations from President Putin regarding the
sale of Russian arms to Azerbaijan, the leader of Free Democrats
Party Khachatur Kokobelyan told ArmInfo on Monday.

“When a Russian commander said that the Collective Security forces
might interfere in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Azeris reacted
immediately. As a result, the Russians hurried to explain that it was
just a mistake. Our case is much more serious, but our authorities
are still silent,” Kokobelyan said.

Regarding the ongoing protests against President Putin’s visit to
Armenia, he said that the protesters have a constitutional right
to protest.

“We do not object to partnership but we are against the suzerain-vassal
relationship. Today Armenia has become an instrument in Russia’s
hands. What we want is just equal relations,” Kokobelyan said.

INSTALLATION OF THREE NEW TELESCOPES AT BYURAKAN OBSERVATORY TO INCORPORATE IT INTO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE MONITORING SYSTEM

YEREVAN, December 3. / ARKA /. Installation of three new telescopes
at Byurakan Observatory in Armenia will allow to incorporate it into
the international space monitoring system, former Russian ambassador
to Armenia Vyacheslav Kovalenko, who is now director of regional
programs at the Caspian Institute of Cooperation, told ARKA.

He said the modernized observatory will work at full capacity by
the end of 2013. The modernization program is being conducted with
Russian Academy of Sciences and some Russian enterprises.

Five new Russia-manufactured telescopes will also be installed at
the observatory, the ambassador said.

During a Monday visit to Armenia, Russian president Vladimir Putin
said Russia and Armenia agreed to support joint high tech projects
and initiatives. He specified that the parties agreed to create a
communication satellite for Armenia and use the Byurakan observatory
for join space research.

The Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) was founded in 1946
at the initiative of prominent astrophysicist Viktor Hambartsumyan,
who became its first director. The observatory is engaged largely in
studying the instability phenomena in the Universe. -0-

– See more at:

ABULFAS GARAYEV: “THE NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT CAUSES A PROBLEM FOR BREEDING OF KARABAKH HORSES AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHOVQAN”

APA, Azerbaijan
Dec 3 2013

[ 03 December 2013 17:43 ]

Baku. Victoria Dementyeva – APA. “The inclusion of Chovqan,
a traditional Karabakh horse-riding game, in the UNESCO List of
Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding is the
victory of the Azerbaijani people,” Minister of Culture and Tourism
Abulfas Garayev told journalists, APA reports.

He said that this is also an important event in Azerbaijan’s history
and culture: “Widely known in Azerbaijan, Chovqan will now be under
the protection of the international community.”

According to him, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict causes a problem for
breeding of Karabakh horses and development of Chovqan. Touching on
Iran’s claims for Chovqan, Garayev noted that Azerbaijan and Iran
are carrying out necessary activities to solve issues that may harm
the friendship between the two people.

PUTIN, SARGSIAN CANCEL POSTAGE STAMPS DEVOTED TO SOCHI GAMES

Interfax, Russia
Dec 2 2013

GYUMRI. Dec 2

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Armenian counterpart Serzh
Sargsian took part in a ceremony of the cancellation of postage stamps
dedicated to the 22nd Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014 during
Putin’s visit to Gyumri.

The stamps depict sport events in which the Armenian national team
will participate in the Olympic Games. One stamp features cross
country skiing and the other alpine skiing. The left side of the
stamps features the mountains near Sochi.

The presidents signed the stamps and their envelopes and applied
postal markings. There are 20,000 stamps in circulation.

Te cm

RUSSIAN, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS START UP RAZDAN THERMAL POWER PLANT’S FIFTH UNIT

Interfax, Russia
Dec 2 2013

GRYUMRI. Dec 2

The Russian and Armenian presidents attended the commissioning of
the fifth unit of the Razdan thermal power plant on Monday.

Vladimir Putin and Serzh Sargsian had a teleconference with Gazprom CEO
Alexei Miller, who was staying on the thermal power plant’s premises.

Miller said the 480-megawatt unit built with investment by Gazprom was
ready to be commissioned and would generate 3.3 billion kilowatt/hours
of electricity.

Power Plant Director Karen Sargsian announced the beginning of the
unit’s commercial operation. He said that the unit was now contributing
280 megawatts to Armenian power grids.

Putin asked about the size of the investment made in the project.

Miller said it was slightly more than $300 million.

Presidents Putin and Sargsian wished success to the power plant’s
personnel.

Te cm

IN ARMENIA, PUTIN SEEKS STRONGER ROLE IN CAUCASUS

Monday, December 2nd, 2013

Russian President Valdimir Putin lays a wreath at Dzidzernagapert on
his visit to Armenia (Photo: Armenpress)

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)-Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived
in Armenia Monday on his first official visit since regaining the
Russian presidency last year and vowed for a stronger Russian role
in the Caucasus.

Days after President Serzh Sarkisian told European leaders in
Vilnius, Lithuania that Armenia will continue to pursue “measured”
relations with Europe, he met with his Russian counterpart to discuss
continued development of the two countries’ strategic partnership,
trade and economic relations, as well as Armenia’s membership in the
Customs Union.

At a press conference following his meeting, Putin vowed that Russia
would do everything in its power to ensure Armenia’s membership in the
Customs Union, saying that all steps had been taken toward that goal.

In his remarks, Putin also discussed the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and the role Russia plays in the security of the region. He
said Russia did not want bloodshed on its borders.

He addressed Azerbaijan’s military threats against Armenia head on
saying in the event of resumption of war, “Conditions for a peaceful
resolution will be reduced, and other means of resolving the conflict
will be reinforced.”

Putin also emphasized that it would be counterproductive to speak
about what Russia will do if war resumes. “We must try to solve all
disputable issues exceptionally in a political, diplomatic way. That’s
what we’ll be aspiring for,” he said.

During the meeting, a number of documents were signed between the
two countries. One such document envisions the cancelation of export
duties for supplies of natural gas, oil products and diamonds. Another
outlined Russian cooperation in nuclear safety.

Putin arrived in Gyumri on Monday morning, where after the
official welcoming ceremony, he and Sarkisian attended the third
Russian-Armenian Forum, at which the Customs Union was again a priority
topic of discussion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian
meet in Yerevan, Dec. 2 (Photo: Photolur)

In praising the virtues of the Customs Union, Putin told the Forum that
since joining the alliance, Kazakhstan and Belarus have experienced
growth in their countries’ gross domestic product during the first
half of 2013.

“Membership in the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space
has brought tangible dividends to Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus,”
said Putin.

Putin said he was confident that Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian
integration project “would seriously strengthen its economic potential,
improve the investment climate and promote direct business contacts,
including those between regions.”

Putin and Sarkisian then traveled to Yerevan, where the Russian
president was met with anti-Russian, anti-Customs Union protesters,
who clashed with anti-riot police. Some 110 protesters were arrested.

Dzidzernagapert Visit Putin also visited the Dzidzernagapert
Memorial Complex and laid a wreath in memory of the Armenian Genocide
victims. He also watered the tree he planted during his state visit
in 2001 at the complex’s Memorial Alley.

Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, Haik Demoyan,
presented Putin with a replica of gold coins minted in Petrograd in
1915. The coins, which depict the two-headed eagle of the Russian
Empire and the traditional Armenian Cross were produced to raise
funds for Genocide survivors.

While in Gyumri, Sarkisian and Putin visited the Russian military base,
commissioned the 5th power unit of Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant and
dedicated two stamps commemorating the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics
in the Russian city of Sochi.

Putin also honored the victims of the 1988 earthquake by placing a
wreath at a memorial in Gyumri.

Gazprom becomes the sole owner of ArmRosGazprom The Russian Gazprom
Company on Monday acquired the last 20 percent of ArmRosGazprom
Company, reported Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller.

Miller, who was in Armenia with Putin’s delegation, said ArmRosGazprom
will become a Gazprom subsidiary company, adding that “the Russian
gas price for Armenia will change, and will be supplied to Armenia
at Russia’s domestic rate.”

POLICE THREATEN TO USE SPECIAL DEVICES AGAINST ACTIVISTS

by Karina Manukyan

ARMINFO
Monday, December 2, 15:48

The Armenian Police have released a statement in relation to the
action of protest against Armenia’s decision on accession to the
Customs Union. The action started in Liberty Square on Dec 2.

‘

The statement says that while maintaining the public order the Armenian
police remain committed to their principles. The police call on the
activists to act within the limits of the law.

The police say that the actions of civil activists hinder the traffic
and restrict the possibility to use the pavements, alleys and other
public places. Thus, such actions violate the public order and limit
the constitutional rights of other persons.

The Police stress that the persons who had made a number of violations
during the protest action were not arrested but were just taken to
the police station and set free some time later. A total of 12 people
were taken to the police department of Yerevan.

The Police call on the citizens to abstain from violations, to carry
out the police’s demands and to give no ground for more tension. In
the meantime, the Police warn that according to Article 29 Part 1
of the Armenian Law on Police, a policeman can use physical force or
special devices.

“In every case of violation of public order, violation of other
citizens’ rights, ignoring of the law, the police will act within
the law and will even use special devices”, says the statement.

To note, protest actions against the Russian president’s visit
to Armenia started early in the morning on 2 December. Activists
were holding banners “Serzhik’s father has arrived!” and “No Customs
Colonization!” in the city. Earlier today, activists hanged a colorful
bathrobe and a boot over the underground passage in Khanjyan Street.

The police and the activists clashed in Amiryan Street, and about 20
people were detained. ArmInfo’s correspondent reported from the scene
that the police were severely beating the activists, including women
and journalists. People are also chanting “Serzhik, go away!” out of
the windows of their houses and offices.

MAXIM SOKOLOV: VERY IMPORTANT PERIOD COMES IN RELATIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND ARMENIA

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 2 2013

2 December 2013 – 5:43pm

Relations between Russia and Armenia are entering a new, very important
period aimed at a common future, Maxim Sokolov, the Minister of
Transport of Russia, the co-chair of the intergovernmental commission
on economic cooperation with Armenia believes.

“Relations between Russia and Armenia are gaining strategic value
which is manifested in the current visit at the highest state level,”
Sokolov said referring to the visit of Vladimir Putin to Armenia.

Will Armenia Be Expulsed From UN?

The Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius marks a new stage of
international policy. Although Russia was able to postpone global
changes, it is something temporary because Russia does not have
sufficient political and economic resources to support the `old world
order’. Furthermore, the game is more complicated in terms of
technologies and participants.

Russia and its new allies in the Customs Union have become marginal
and condemned themselves to international isolation. The Soviet Union
could stand such conditions for hardly 70 years despite immense
resources and dominance over a huge number of states. Russia does not
have this and it’s hard to tell how long it will hold on. Moscow
understands this and has tried to engage in international politics
through Ukraine as a third and full party but Europe has declined this
proposal. Apparently, the policy of isolating and marginalizing Russia
continues in other international organizations as well, primarily the
United Nations.

There are rumors that the UN may consider expulsion of Customs Union
members as by joining the Customs Union these countries agreed to lose
partly their sovereignty and decision making to some `supranational’
body. In fact, these countries have given up on sovereign foreign
policy. Hence, the votes of these countries in international
organizations will automatically pass to Russia.

After World War II Stalin wanted the Union members to become UN
members but only Ukraine and Belarus were granted membership as
countries which suffered from the war the most. The other states were
not granted membership because those states were not sovereign. By the
way, the foreign ministers of those countries officially were deputy
ministers of foreign affairs of the USSR.

For its part, the new world order supposes establishment of new
international organizations and modernization of the existing ones in
which only sovereign states will participate, coming up with their
requirements and approaches.

12:03 01/12/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

200 cases of ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side registered in
the past week

12:31 30.11.2013

According to the data of the NKR Defense Army, about 200 cases of
ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side were registered at the
line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and
Azerbaijan.

The rival fired more than 700 shots from weapons of different caliber
in the direction of the Armenian positions.

The activeness of the rival was pressured as a result of adequate
measures taken by the front divisions of the NKR Defense Army.