Kuwaiti Ambassador Promised To Support New Aleppo Program

KUWAITI AMBASSADOR PROMISED TO SUPPORT NEW ALEPPO PROGRAM

12:58, 27 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: The State of Kuwait has allocated
$100,000 to the public organization “Center for Coordination of
Syrian Armenian Affairs” to assist the school and other educational
programs implemented for the Syrian Armenians living in Armenia. The
corresponding agreement was signed on September 27 at the Ministry
of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia. The Minister of Diaspora of
the Republic of Armenia Hranush Hakobyan highlighted the dynamic
development of the Armenian-Kuwaiti relations and the active
cooperation between the two countries. “Our cooperation has become
closer, when the Syrian crisis began. Kuwait has donated money for
the second time, this time to assist the school and other educational
programs implemented for the Syrian Armenians living in Armenia”, –
said Hranush Hakobyan, as reported by Armenpress.

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kuwait to Armenia
Bassam Mohammed Al-Qabandi expressed his gratitude to the Minister
of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia for the warm reception and
stated that he feels home in Armenia. “We are happy to be able to show
support. There is a future program as well connected with the New
Aleppo District. I am certain that Kuwait will be the first country
to assist the program implementation”, – said the Ambassador.

The diplomatic relations between Armenia and Kuwait were established
in July 1994. The Embassy of Kuwait to Armenia was opened in 2011.

Currently about 10,000 Syrian Armenians live in Armenia, who are
permanently supported by the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic
of Armenia in apartment and job issues. About 1000 Syrian Armenians
applied to the Ministry and were provided with jobs. The situation
was aggravated in Syria on August 21 when media informed about
using chemical weapons in the suburbs of Damascus. According to
preliminary information, 600 people were killed in the result of the
attack. According to other sources, numbers of the dead people reached
1300. After the incident the governmental forces and the opposition
announced about their non-participation in using chemical weapons
blaming each other in it. USA increased its military presence around
Syria activating the discussion of military intervention scenario.

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/734573/kuwaiti-ambassador-promised-to-support-new-aleppo-program.html

Haykakan Zhamanak: Armenian Police Don’t View Beating As Crime

HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: ARMENIAN POLICE DON’T VIEW BEATING AS CRIME

Friday,
September
27

>From now on, all low- and mid-level officials of various Armenian
departments can freely beat people on streets of Yerevan, that is,
they can hit them on the head and inflict injuries. The Armenian
police don’t see elements of a crime in such actions, according to
‘Haykakan Zhamanak’ daily.

“On July 17 the head of the Yerevan Municipality’s Trade and Service
Department Arman Yedoyan beat up 25-year-old balloon vendor Arsen
Sakanian in Republic Square of Yerevan. The Kentron police unit began
to prepare materials in connection the incident. Yet the daily’s
correspondent was informed yesterday that no criminal case will be
opened over Arsen Sakanian’s beating,” the paper says.

TODAY, 12:21

Aysor.am

Former Iranian Envoy: Armenia Inclines To Cooperate With Neighbors,

FORMER IRANIAN ENVOY: ARMENIA INCLINES TO COOPERATE WITH NEIGHBORS, NOT TO CONFLICT

12:53 27/09/2013 ” POLITICS

The Armenian authorities constantly make efforts to avoid conflicts,
Iran’s former Ambassador to Armenia Seyed Ali Saghaian told IRAS news
agency in an interview.

“Despite threats from its eastern neighbor, the Armenian authorities
constantly make efforts to avoid conflicts and try to resolve all
problems peacefully. In general, Armenia carries out peaceful foreign
policy which is aimed at strengthening cooperation with its neighbors
and not conflicting with them,” Seyed Ali Saghaian said.

Iran’s former Ambassador also said that the peaceful resolution
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide committed by Ottoman Turkey and strengthening relations with
its neighbors, in particular Iran and Georgia, are the key foreign
policy priorities of Armenia.

Source: Panorama.am

Sarkisian Plans Powerful New Law Enforcement Agency

SARKISIAN PLANS POWERFUL NEW LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY

Thursday, September 26th, 2013

Military prosecutor Gevorg Kostanyan (left) has been nominated by
President Sarkisian for the office of Prosecutor General

YEREVAN-President Serzh Sarkisian on Thursday nominated military
prosecutor Gevorg Kostanyan for the office of Prosecutor General of
the Republic of Armenia, replacing Aghvan Hovsepian, whose term of
service has ended.

In accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia,
the President has forwarded his nomination to the National Assembly,
which votes to appoint the Prosecutor General.

In conjunction with this nomination, President Serzh Sarkisian has
moved to set up a new and powerful law enforcement agency that will
be tasked with conducting criminal investigations.

Sarkisian’s press office indicated on Wednesday that this “united
investigative body” will bring together corresponding divisions of
Armenia’s police, Defense Ministry and State Revenue Committee (SRC).

It said in a statement that this structural change is aimed at
increasing the effectiveness of inquiries into various crimes and
the independence of officers conducting them.

The statement made no reference to the investigating arms of the
National Security Service (NSS), the former Armenian branch of the
Soviet KGB, or to the Special Investigative Service (SIS), suggesting
that they will not be incorporated into the new agency. The SIS is
subordinate to prosecutors and charged with investigating crimes
committed by state officials and electoral violations.

The statement also announced that Sarkisian has formed an ad hoc
commission that will draft new laws and legal amendments required for
the creation of the new security agency. The commission is headed by
former Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepian.

http://asbarez.com/114357/sarkisian-plans-powerful-new-law-enforcement-agency/

U.S. Ambassador’s Reminders To Government

U.S. AMBASSADOR’S REMINDERS TO GOVERNMENT

Armenia is facing a lot of challenges in the customs service, said
the U.S. ambassador John Heffern yesterday during the opening of the
Conference on Customs Reforms in Armenia.

We will continue to work with the State Revenue Committee, the
ministry of finance and the civil society towards the solution of
these problems.

Dwelling on Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union, the
ambassador repeated that Armenia is free to make its own decisions,
and the United States and other partners of Armenia will continue to
work with Armenia.

In his opening remarks John Heffern said they are often asked why
they care for customs reforms in Armenia and what they will bring to
the United States. Nothing, he says, we are improving the environment
and sometimes even criticizing the Armenian authorities.

The ambassador reminded that Armenia is a WTO member and has assumed
commitments which must be implemented.

11:27 27/09/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/politics/view/30974

ONU : 24eme Session Du Conseil Des Droits Humains

ONU : 24EME SESSION DU CONSEIL DES DROITS HUMAINS

Publie le : 27-09-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire cette information publiee sur le site de la LICRA
(Ligue internationale contre le racisme et l’antisemitisme) le 26
septembre 2013.

LICRA

publie le 26/09/2013

24ème Session du Conseil des Droits Humains (9 au 27 Septembre 2013)
: 2ème semaine

Cette deuxième semaine de la 24ème session du CDH a Genève a encore
ete dominee par l’actualite sur la Syrie. Le rapport tant attendu
de la Commission internationale d’Enquete sur la Syrie devait etre
rendu ce lundi matin, 16 Septembre 2013.

En fait, il faut essayer de penetrer les arcanes des Nations Unies.

D’après la Charte, document fondateur des Nations Unies, signee en
1945, les Nations Unies comprennent 5 organes principaux : l’Assemblee
generale, le Conseil de Securite, le Conseil Economique et Social,
la Cour Internationale de Justice et le Secretaire General.

Chaque organe principal peut creer des organes subsidiaires, nommer
des Experts, diligenter des missions, Commissions, etc. Et c’est
le cas aussi des organes subsidiaires, dont le Conseil des Droits
de l’homme, organe subsidiaire de l’Assemblee generale. (L’ancienne
Commission des Droits de l’Homme, auquel le Conseil a succede en 2006,
dependait du Conseil Economique et Social).

C’est ainsi que pour la Syrie, coexistent en ce moment trois missions
: Une mission effectuee dernièrement dans ce pays par le Representant
special du Secretaire general pour les enfants dans les conflits armes,
une mission des Nations Unies chargee d’enqueter sur les allegations
d’utilisation d’armes chimiques et enfin celle du Conseil des Droits
de l’homme, la Commission d’enquete internationale independante sur
la Republique arabe syrienne dont le mandat etait initialement etabli
il y a deux ans.

C’est le President de cette Commission d’enquete internationale qui
est venu presenter son rapport sur les conclusions des enquetes menees
du 15 Mai au 15 Juillet 2013. Les allegations d’utilisation d’armes
chimiques situant celle-ci au 21 Août ne sont donc pas comprises dans
cette enquete. Les difficultes rencontrees sont de taille puisque la
Commission s’est vue refuser l’accès au territoire de la Republique
arabe syrienne alors que les deux autres missions, mentionnees plus
haut, ont pu y parvenir et que le rapport sur les armes chimiques
presente ce lundi 16 a New York etablit bien l’utilisation des armes
chimiques, a plusieurs reprises.

La question est : Par qui ? Bashar El Assad ou les forces d’opposition
? Aucune certitude, mais de fortes presomptions etant donnees les
circonstances materielles dans lesquelles elles ont ete utilisees,
pèsent sur Bashar El Assad. Toujours est-il qu’ici, en salle XX du
Palais des Nations a Genève, il s’agissait pour la Commission d’Enquete
de determiner les responsabilites sur une serie de violations quant au
traitement des civils : – Massacres et autres executions illegales,
– Arrestation arbitraire et detention illegale – Prise d’otages, –
Disparitions forcees – Torture et autres formes de mauvais traitements,
– Violences sexuelles – Violations des droits de l’enfant.

Egalement, les violations dans le cadre de la conduite des hostilites
: – Attaques illegales, – Pillage et destruction de biens – Armes
illegales – Sièges et autres atteintes au la securite alimentaire.

Le president de la Commission d’Enquete rappelle que la responsabilite
première de la protection des droits des citoyens incombe au
gouvernement. Et la conclusion est que les Forces gouvernementales
et progouvernementales ont commis des crimes contre l’humanite, des
crimes de guerre et des violations du droit international des droits
de l’homme. Certains Groupes armes antigouvernementaux ont commis
des crimes de guerre. Les commandants de ces groupes ont constamment
failli a leur devoir de prendre les mesures disciplinaires appropriees.

Après ce rapport, la parole est donnee en premier a l’Etat concerne,
c’est-a-dire a la Republique arabe syrienne. Le representant de la
Syrie considère que ” ce rapport contient des exagerations et des
allegations non contrôlees, la Commission ne s’etait pas rendue
sur les lieux. Il n’y a pas eu de visite, pas d’informations de
première main. Ce rapport est politise. La Commission n’a pas eu le
courage de denoncer le rôle de l’Arabie Saoudite, du Qatar, de la
Turquie impliques dans le bain de sang de la Syrie, ni les atrocites
commises par El Quaida. C’est un rapport non professionnel. La Syrie
n’a pas besoin d’un certificat de bonne conduite de la Commission
Internationale. ”

Nous sommes dans ce qu’on appelle un ” dialogue interactif “, mais
neanmoins, le President de la Commission Internationale ne peut
repondre au representant de la Syrie. Tout se fait selon un ordre bien
etabli, les delegations permanentes se sont inscrites pour intervenir,
et la liste est longue, très longue.

Les Etats interviennent souvent au nom d’un groupe regional d’Etats,
pour pouvoir intervenir ensuite en leur nom propre. Certains Etats
d’Amerique latine, comme Cuba, le Venezuela, l’Equateur soutiennent
le gouvernement de Bashar El Assad et affirment leur solidarite avec
le peuple et le gouvernement.

L’Union Europeenne regrette que la Commission n’ait toujours pas
pu acceder a la Syrie. Elle denonce les atrocites commises par le
gouvernement ainsi que les crimes de l’opposition. Elle se felicite
de l’accord intervenu entre les Etats-Unis et la Russie, au sujet du
demantèlement des armes chimiques.

Les pays du Golfe (Koweit, Bahrein, etc.) denoncent les crimes contre
l’humanite commis par le gouvernement syrien.

Bien entendu, chacun restera fermement sur ses positions ; le v~u
de tous, neanmoins, est d’aboutir a une solution politique.

La fin de la semaine a ete consacree a l’Examen Periodique Universel.

L’Examen Periodique Universel est un mecanisme nouveau et unique
des Nations Unies commence en avril 2008 et qui consiste en l’examen
de tous les pays du monde, sur leurs pratiques en matière de droits
de l’homme.

Le planning des examens est donc etabli, etant donne le nombre
d’Etats-membres : 193 – sur quatre ans et demi. Ainsi, le CDH en est
maintenant a son second cycle, tous les Etats ayant deja ete examines
une première fois de 2008 a 2012.

L’examen d’un Etat se fonde sur trois documents : un rapport
national etabli par l’Etat soumis a l’examen ; une compilation de
renseignements, dont dispose l’Organisation des Nations Unies sur
l’Etat soumis a l’examen, etablie par le Haut-Commissariat des Nations
Unies aux droits de l’homme (HCDH) ; et un resume des contributions
ecrites soumises par d’autres parties prenantes (y compris des membres
de la societe civile), egalement etabli par le HCDH.

L’examen a lieu a Genève lors d’une session du Groupe de travail sur
l’EPU qui est compose des 47 Etats membres du Conseil des droits de
l’homme. L’examen prend la forme d’un dialogue entre l’Etat soumis a
l’examen et les Etats membres et observateurs du Conseil. Quelques
jours après le dialogue, le Groupe de travail adopte le rapport
des debats.

Le document final enonce toutes les recommandations faites par les
Etats. L’Etat soumis a l’examen indique celles qu’il accepte et celles
qu’il rejette.

A cette session, ont ete examines et adoptes les rapports des Etats
suivants : Turkmenistan, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Tuvalu, Colombiaj
Uzbekistan, Allemagne, Djibouti, Canada, Bangladesh, Azerbaïdjan,
Federation de Russie, Cameroun, Cuba.

La France a ete soumise a l’examen recemment et le rapport final a
ete adopte a la precedente session du CDH. Il serait très interessant
qu’un groupe de travail se constitue pour organiser un suivi des
recommandations acceptees par la France, dans la mesure où ces
recommandations sont compatibles avec les objectifs de la Licra. Je
remercie les militants interesses de me le faire savoir.

Deborah Wolkowicz-Breillat [email protected] 22 Septembre 2013

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : LICRA

http://www.collectifvan.org/article.php?r=0&id=75829
www.collectifvan.org

L’Azerbaidjan Moins Important Pour L’Ouest Selon Un Ancien Ambassade

L’AZERBAIDJAN MOINS IMPORTANT POUR L’OUEST SELON UN ANCIEN AMBASSADEUR AMERICAIN

AZERBAIDJAN

Selon Radio Liberty, l’ancien ambassadeur americain en Azerbaïdjan
(1994-1997) Richard Kauzlarich a declare ” Je ne pense pas que les
Etats-Unis ait accorde beaucoup d’attention a la visite du President
de la Federation de Russie Vladimir Poutine en Azerbaïdjan. Les gens
qui sont familiers avec la situation dans la region, n’ont rien vu
d’extraordinaire dans cette visite “. Selon lui, la visite du President
de la Federation de Russie Vladimir Poutine ” a ete conditionnee
uniquement par les questions economiques “. Le diplomate a note que
les autorites azerbaïdjanaises ont l’opinion erronee que l’Occident a
besoin de l’Azerbaïdjan plus que l’Azerbaïdjan a besoin de l’Occident.

En outre, il a note que les relations entre l’Occident et l’Azerbaïdjan
ont change radicalement au cours des 20 dernières annees. Les
Etats-Unis retirent leurs forces d’Afghanistan, et l’importance de
l’Azerbaïdjan, en tant qu’Etat soutenant les operations de l’OTAN,
s’est reduit. Deuxièmement, l’Europe grande consommatrice d’energie
n’est plus en croissance.

” En general, si vous regardez la situation actuelle et celle
qu’il y avait il y a cinq ans, il est clair que l’importance de
l’Azerbaïdjan pour l’Ouest a diminue. Les Etats-Unis ont d’autres
priorites maintenant ” a souligne Richard Kauzlarich.

vendredi 27 septembre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

Les Avions De L’aeroport De Stepanakert Seront Bientot Prets Au Vol

LES AVIONS DE L’AEROPORT DE STEPANAKERT SERONT BIENTOT PRETS AU VOL

ARMENIE

Selon le ” chef du departement de l’aviation civile du HK “,
Dmitri Adbachian, d’ici 15 jours les quelques avions de l’aeroport
de Stepanakert seront techniquement prets a effectuer des vols. Il
s’est toutefois abstenu d’indiquer une date quant a l’exploitation de
l’aeroport. Haykakan Jamanak rappelle que l’inauguration de l’aeroport
de Stepanakert etait initialement prevue le 9 mai 2011 et que Serge
Sarkissian devait en etre le premier passager. / Haykakan Jamanak

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 19 septembre 2013

vendredi 27 septembre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

BAKU: Crisis Group Warns Against Escalation Of Violence Over Karabak

CRISIS GROUP WARNS AGAINST ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE OVER KARABAKH CONFLICT

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 26 2013

26 September 2013, 18:34 (GMT+05:00)

By Sara Rajabova

The international Crisis Group has recently prepared a report on the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“Confrontation, low-intensity but volatile, between Armenia and
Azerbaijan has entered a period of heightened sensitivity,” the
report said.

According to the report, the peace talks on Nagorno-Karabakh bogged
down in 2011, which lead to strident rhetoric.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early
1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armed
forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent
regions.

“An immediate concern is military miscalculation, because their
consequences will be quite dangerous, as the South Caucasus, a region
where big powers compete for influence, is now also a major energy
corridor. Vigorous international engagement is needed to lessen chances
of violent escalation during coming weeks and months,” the report said.

According to the authors, the strong and coordinated international
pressure needed to break the diplomatic deadlock is lacking.

“There is scepticism in both capitals, as well as among
third-countries, that the officially designated mediators from the
OSCE Minsk Group – led by Russia, the U.S. and France – can deliver
results,” the report said.

Recall that peace talks, through the OSCE Minsk Group, are underway
on the basis of a peace outline proposed by the Minsk Group co-chairs
and dubbed the Madrid Principles. The negotiations have been largely
fruitless so far.

The report authors criticized the arms supplies to the sides of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The report also included the recommendation for the reducing tension
and settlement of the conflict.

According to the authors, diplomacy by the Minsk Group co-chairs, the
European Union (EU) and others should be accompanied by international
engagement highlighting the risk of miscalculations and the huge
costs for both sides of resumed hostilities.

It also said intensified regular contacts as well as meetings between
ministers and parliamentarians can help in this regard.

Furthermore, the report said that as a modest confidence builder,
Armenia and Azerbaijan should step up efforts via the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to address prisoner of war issues.

Finally, according to the authors, Russia, which is highly influential
in all aspects of the conflict, should act more decisively to broker
an agreement.

The document authors believe that Moscow should announce a suspension
of arms supplies to both sides. Other suppliers, including South
Korea and Israel, should be encouraged to do the same, the report said.

ANKARA: Russia’s Putin Says Syria Violence Could Hit Ex-Soviet Bloc

RUSSIA’S PUTIN SAYS SYRIA VIOLENCE COULD HIT EX-SOVIET BLOC

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Sept 23 2013

23 September 2013 /REUTERSİ SOCHI

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned ex-Soviet allies on Monday
that Islamist militancy fuelling the war in Syria could reach their
countries, some of which have Muslim majorities.

Russia, which has a large Muslim minority of its own and is fighting
an Islamist insurgency, has accused the West of helping militants
by seeking Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s removal without paying
enough attention to the potential consequences.

Putin told leaders of the six-nation Collective Security Treaty
Organisation (CSTO) that militants fighting Assad could eventually
expand attacks beyond Syria and the Middle East.

“The militant groups (in Syria) did not come out of nowhere, and they
will not vanish into thin air,” Putin said.

“The problem of terrorism spilling from one country to another is
absolutely real and could directly affect the interests of any one
of our countries,” he said, citing the deadly attack on a shopping
mall in Nairobi as an example.

“We are now witnessing a terrible tragedy unfold in Kenya. The
militants came from another country, as far as we can judge, and are
committing horrendous bloody crimes,” Putin said at a CSTO summit in
the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi.

His words appeared to be a warning about violence spreading from both
Syria and Afghanistan, which shares a long border with CSTO member
Tajikistan in Central Asia. The security alliance also includes
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Belarus.

Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan all have mostly Muslim
populations.

Russian officials have expressed concern that Russian-born militants
fighting in Syria could return to Russia’s North Caucasus and join
an insurgency that claims lives almost daily.

They have also voiced worries that violence could spread into former
Soviet Central Asia and Russia after the withdrawal of most Western
troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year.

Russia has been one of Syria’s strongest backers in a conflict that
has killed more than 100,000 people since it began in March 2011,
delivering arms to Assad’s forces and joining China in blocking
Western-backed initiatives in the U.N. Security Council.

Russia, which has echoed Assad’s contention that he is fighting al
Qaeda-inspired Islamists rather than a popular revolt against his
autocratic rule, has warned the West that military intervention in
Syria would play into the hands of the militants.