Author: Kanayan Tamar

Hayk Babukhanyan: Armenia cannot interfere in Russia-Azerbaijan relations

13:27 28/06/2013 ” POLITICS

This week was very important for us because Armenia hosted a large
Russian delegation and we got new opportunities to expand our relations
with Russia and CSTO, member of RPA parliamentary faction, leader of
Constitutional Law Union party Hayk Babukhanyan told today’s press
conference.

Referring to Russian arms sales to Azerbaijan, Babukhanyan said that
Russia is not the only country in the world that exports arms and
Baku could buy one billion worth of arms from other countries too.

Russia is not hostile with Azerbaijan, it develops its ties with
Azerbaijan within CIS and Armenia cannot interfere in Russia-Azerbaijan
relations as a third side, Babukhanyan stated.

“Azerbaijan implements racist policy and it poses danger not only to
us but also to the region and the world,” he stressed.

Source: Panorama.am

CONSCIENCE OF ARMENIAN DIPLOMACY

Vice-minister of foreign affairs of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan is
the only Armenian official who voiced concern about sale of Russian
weapons to Azerbaijan. No one else has made any statement in this
regard, not even the parliamentary parties.

Shavarsh Kocharyan is the spokesman of the Armenian diplomacy who is
trying to justify the mediocrity and inaction in politics. Someone
in the offices of the president administration or foreign ministry
invented the “both” political technology presenting it as Armenian
knowhow. Whatever is hidden under this political technology is
not difficult to guess but poor Shavarsh Kocharyan has to explain
unexplainable things.

He stated that in terms of joining different unions Armenia would not
like to join either the European or the Customs Union but in economic
terms Armenia is going to cooperate with both. Half a year ago Tigran
Sargsyan signed the free trade agreement with CIS. In November we
are going to do the same with EU.

Shavarsh Kocharyan is a profoundly decent man, a patriot and a good
orator. But even he, the conscience of the Armenian diplomacy, is
unable to explain whether the decision to sign the agreement with
the EU has been made or not.

Moldova stated yesterday that it has finalized negotiations with the
EU. Ukraine’s prime minister called on the opposition to return to
parliament in order to finalize the legislation to be able to sign
the Association Agreement. The Georgian prime minister also stated
that people decided in a referendum that Georgia took on the path to
the EU and NATO.

Armenia is the only country that wants “both” without explaining how
it is going to use its political knowhow.

Initially, 6 countries are involved in the EU project of Eastern
Partnership: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and
Belarus. All the projects were carried out in a synchronous manner.

But it soon became clear that Belarus and Azerbaijan have not sustained
the rhythm or do not wish to participate in the project. And in the
case of Azerbaijan it was clearly caused by the intransigence of Baku
on the Karabakh issue.

Four countries are left, and if one of them surrenders to Moscow’s
pressure and refuses association with EU, the entire project will be
jeopardized. Serzh Sargsyan has already hinted on some preconditions
that may make Armenia to refuse the project. He said that joining the
Customs Union, Armenia will not have common borders because another
member Turkey keeps the border closed.

It is noteworthy that the lack of common borders is the reason why
Armenia refuses to join the Customs Union proposed by Russia.

Actually, Serzh Sargsyan hints that entering the Customs Union with
Russia and signing the agreement with the EU (if border with Turkey
is closed) Armenia will be pressed between both unions.

Naira Hayrumyan 12:40 28/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

PACE CHAIRMAN TO DISCUSS NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT WITH AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN DELEGATIONS

25/06/2013 14:03:00 Oratert News

The Azerbaijani and Armenian delegations are expected to meet at the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), PACE chairman
Jean-Claude Mignon told journalists at a press conference organized
as part of the summer session of the organization, while answering
a question about the Karabakh question.

“We will discuss the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on
June 26 with the Azerbaijani and Armenian delegations,” he said.

“There is a real desire to achieve progress on the matter. It is
necessary to take advantage of Armenia’s chairmanship in the CE
Committee of Ministers, in which, Austria, then Azerbaijan will
preside after Armenia.”

Mignon also clarified his objections to the restoration of the activity
of the PACE subcommittee on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“We touched on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue at the meeting of the
PACE Bureau and the Standing Committee in Yerevan,” he said. “These
discussions were a continuation of my South Caucasus visit. I had
interesting meetings in these countries. I also had an interesting
meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov in Baku. It is clear that Azerbaijan is willing to
accept the Madrid principles prepared and put forward by the OSCE Minsk
Group. I think this is very important. My position on the issue is
clear. I opposed the restoration of the PACE subcommittee’s activity
on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement. What is the reasoning
behind my position? I believe that the only organization authorized
to deal with this issue is the OSCE Minsk Group. Any initiative could
reduce the significance of the Minsk Group’s work. I fully rely on
the activity of Minsk Group.”

According to Mignon, the Nagorno-Karabakh issue will not be discussed
in PACE as a current issue.

“It will be necessary to specify the format,” he stressed. “But we
want to invite co-chairmen of the Minsk Group to PACE in the near
future and to listen to them. One can get more precise information
about the Minsk Group’s work on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We
proceed from the Madrid principles in this issue.”

ALMOST 300 CHILDREN DETAINED DURING TURKISH PROTESTS – REPORT

June 27, 2013 – 13:30 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Almost 300 children were taken into custody and
one child was wounded by a bullet over the course of the Gezi Park
demonstrations, a report said, according to Hurriyet Daily News.

The report by the Gundem Cocuk (“Children on the Agenda”) Association
covered violations of children’s rights between May 28 and June 25.

It said a minimum of 294 children were taken into custody during the
protests. The number of children detained was 78 in Ankara, 35 in
Istanbul, 130 in Adana, 34 in Ä°zmir, two in Kayseri and 15 in Mersin.

The report also consisted of cases where children were exposed to
tear gas, pressurized water and noise bombs, and some in which they
were beaten with batons. Some were taken into unregistered custody
and were subject to handcuffing and profiling.

The report stated that some children in custody were held within the
scope of the fight against terrorism.

ZHAMANAK: SIGNING OF ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT IS UNLIKELY

10:32 27/06/2013 ” DAILY PRESS

According to Zhamanak daily, it is being talked in political circles
that the pre-signing of the EU-Armenia Association Agreement, set
for November, is unlikely.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced in Poland that we have
never taken any action that was against Russia, and we have no
complex that we can be forced to act that way. Since Russia believes
that the European integration of Armenia is against its interests,
the President’s statement perhaps means “goodbye to the Association
Agreement and Eastern Partnership program,” the paper says.

Source: Panorama.am

REPRESENTATIVES OF ASSOCIATION OF YOUNG POLITICIANS MEET WITH NIKOL PASHINYAN

11:01 27/06/2013 ” POLITICS

Representatives of the Association of Young Politicians and Association
of Youth Organizations of World Armenian Congress have met with
member of parliamentary faction of opposition Armenian National
Congress Nikol Pashinyan, the press service of the Association of
Young Politicians reports.

The meeting focused on issues related to Armenia’s domestic and
foreign policy.

The Association of Young Politicians is also planning to meet with
Armenian MPs.

Source: Panorama.am

L’AZERBAIDJAN SOUHAITE MODERNISER SON ARMEE

Bakou souhaite moderniser son materiel militaire, a declare le
president azeri Aliev lors d’un defile militaire a Bakou. Il a insiste
sur le fait que le budget militaire de l’Azerbaïdjan en 2003 etait de
163 millions de dollars alors qu’aujourd’hui, il est de 3,7 milliards
de dollars.

” Au cours des dernières annees, nous avons acquis des helicoptères,
des dizaines d’avions de guerre, des equipements de defense aerienne,
des vehicules blindes, des chars les plus avances et des systèmes
d’artillerie. Ils peuvent detruire n’importe quelle cible de l’ennemi
“, a-t-il declare. ” L’Etat azerbaïdjanais ne permettra jamais que
l’Armenie fasse sa loi sur le territoire du Haut-Karabagh “, a-t-il
dit. ” Il existe des moyens politiques pour resoudre le problème, et
un processus de negociation est toujours en cours. Mais notre armee a
un potentiel et renforce notre position. Je tiens a souligner encore
une fois que le Haut-Karabagh restera un territoire azerbaïdjanais
“, a declare le leader azerbaïdjanais.

Aliyev et d’autres dirigeants azerbaïdjanais menacent regulièrement de
mettre fin au conflit du Karabagh par la force si les pourparlers avec
les Armeniens n’aboutissent pas a un règlement pacifique. L’Armenie
a condamne et a rejete ces menaces, en disant que Bakou subirait une
defaite si elle tente de reconquerir les territoires du Haut-Karabagh
qui sont sous contrôle armenien.

jeudi 27 juin 2013, Laetitia ©armenews.com

LA COUR DE CASSATION CONFIRME LA PRESCRIPTION DE LA PEINE DE GILBERT LEVON MINASSIAN

En jugeant prescrite la peine que la cour d’assises des
Bouches-du-Rhône avait infligee, par contumace, a Gilbert Minassian
le 19 mai 1989, la Cour de cassation du tribunal de grande instance
de Paris a tourne mercredi 26 juin 2013 la page d’une des plus
longues traques jamais menees a l’encontre d’un militant de la
cause armenienne. Et elle a rendu la liberte a un homme qui se bat
depuis trente ans pour obtenir justice, sans n’avoir jamais cesse,
parallèlement, de defendre les droits de son peuple, sur tous les
fronts.

Le militantisme en faveur des plus opprimes, Gilbert l’a dans la peau
depuis son adolescence, quand il adhère dans son lycee aux jeunesses
communistes. Un combat qu’il continuera sur les bancs de la fac
d’Aix-en-Provence, où sa verve doublee d’une solide rhetorique le
placera en position de leader du mouvement etudiant, a l’echelle
locale puis nationale. C’est lorsque son engagement atteint une
forme d’apogee, faisant de lui une des figures les plus connues des
jeunesses communistes du moment, que ses origines le rattrapent et
qu’il croise la cause armenienne. Une rencontre qui changera sa vie
et marquera a jamais son destin.

Nous sommes a l’epoque montante du renouveau de la lutte armenienne,
incarnee par deux structures combattantes : les justiciers du genocide
armenien et l’ASALA (Armee Secrète Armenienne pour la Liberation de
l’Armenie). Après l’echec de decennies d’efforts diplomatiques, ces
organisations constituent les fers de lance de la ” propagande armee
” qui finira par briser le mur du silence erige autour du premier
genocide du XXe siècle. Leurs actions qui arrivent a imposer la
cause armenienne sur la scène internationale suscitent un veritable
soutien parmi les fils et les filles des rescapes de l’entreprise
d’extermination. C’est a ce moment-la que Gilbert reprend son
prenom armenien, Levon, et rejoint le Mouvement national armenien
(sympathisant de l’ASALA), dont il devient le principal animateur dans
le sud de la France. Son experience politique et son charisme en font
une des figures les plus connues de la communaute armenienne. Mais ses
engagements le placent egalement en coeur de cible de la repression, en
depit du fait qu’il a ete l’un des premiers a s’inscrire en faux contre
les derives militaristes et purement terroristes du clan Hagopian
qui avait pris la direction des operations armees dans l’ASALA.

C’est durant cette periode troublee que dans la nuit du 27 au 28
juillet 1984 se deroule près de l’aeroport de Marignane une attaque
a main armee contre un fourgon postal. Quelques-uns des participants
a ce hold-up, qui se feront interpeler quelques jours plus tard,
denoncent dans des conditions plus qu’obscures l’implication de Levon
Minassian dans ce forfait. Il n’est pas rare, a cette epoque, que
les mouvements clandestins recourent au ” hold-up revolutionnaire ”
pour financer leurs combats. Et l’accusation porte. Levon est arrete
et interpele. Il clame son innocence. Elle sera confirmee par Monte
Melkonian avec lequel il etait en reunion au moment des faits. Celui
qui perira en heros le 12 juin 1993 au Haut Karabagh, rejoint alors en
effet la France en 84 et apporte confidentiellement son temoignage au
juge. Un fort elan de solidarite s’organise autour de Levon Minassian
qui obtiendra un ‘~Rnon-lieu’~R et sera finalement remis en liberte
sous contrôle judiciaire le 12 mars 1985.

Pour autant, les services speciaux qui avaient concouru a son
arrestation ne lâchent pas prise. Il s’agit a l’epoque pour eux de
mettre a profit la phase de recul du mouvement armenien, declenche
notamment par la scission a l’interieur de l’ASALA consecutive a
l’attentat d’Orly ( 15 juillet 1983), pour neutraliser l’ensemble
de la mouvance militante, et en particulier ses elements les plus
conscients et efficaces. Il y a a ce moment environ une vingtaine de
militants plus ou moins proches de l’ASALA incarceres ou mis en examen
en France, tandis que des attentats antiarmeniens se multiplient sur
le territoire.

L’etau se resserre alors sur Levon Minassian, cible par les services
turcs comme par la fraction fanatique du clan Hagopian qui ne
lui pardonne pas d’avoir denonce sa derive jusqu’au-boutiste, son
terrorisme aveugle et d’avoir soutenu le MR (Mouvement revolutionnaire)
cristallise autour de Monte Melkonian. Encercle de tous côtes, traque
par certaines branches des services francais dont l’histoire montrera
par la suite qu’elles n’ont pas agi sans connivence avec Ankara,
place dans la ligne de mire des Services turcs, menace par la frange
la plus extremiste de la nebuleuse armenienne, il prend la decision
d’entrer dans la clandestinite.

Il ne refera surface qu’au debut des annees 90, durant la guerre du
Karabagh. Il sera le premier feday issu des rangs de la diaspora a y
participer et deviendra commandant du bataillon suicide ARDZIV 1. Il
signera ensuite sous le nom de Hovsep Hovsepian un des hauts faits
de la resistance en organisant et en participant ( entre autres) a
la liberation de Kelbadjar (son bataillon penetrera en premier dans
la ville liberee). Puis Levon sera a nouveau contraint de se cacher.

Robert Guediguian, lui-meme venu de cette meme trajectoire communiste
ayant marque les premiers pas de l’engagement de Levon, s’inspirera
de son personnage qui sera incarne par Gerard Meylan, dans son film
“Voyage en Armenie”.

La decision prise hier par la Cour de Cassation met un terme definitif
a cette traque et a cette cavale qui dure depuis presque trente ans.

L’histoire individuelle de Levon Minassian peut ainsi rejoindre a
visage decouvert la grande histoire collective du peuple armenien.

Pour sa famille, ses amis, cette nouvelle constitue un immense
soulagement. La fin d’annees de souffrances et d’angoisse. Elle
intervient malheureusement quelques mois après le decès du père de
Levon, Garabed Minassian, qui gravement malade n’aura pas pu voir de
son vivant son fils libre.

Pour ce militant brillant et courageux, c’est une page qui se tourne
et une nouvelle vie qui commence. Et sans doute aussi un nouveau
chapitre qui s’ouvre pour la cause qu’il a faite sienne.

Ara Toranian

mercredi 26 juin 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

GOVERNMENT ALLOCATES 300 MILLION AMD TO REPAIR VANADZOR STREETS
Larisa Paremuzyan

The national government of Armenia had gone ahead an allocated 300
million AMD from the reserve fund for the capital renovation of
several streets in the northern Armenian town of Vanadzor.

Work has already begun on Tigran Metz Avenue, Toumanyan Square,
portions of the streets that intersect the square, and the Lori Square
adjacent to the Holy Mother of God Church.

The allocation of the funds was made prior to the government officially
passing aan additional expenditures package to solve what are described
as “the pressing socio-economic issue of the provinces.”

Drivers and pedestrians plying the Tigran Metz thoroughfare have
complained about the disruptions and inconveniences that the on-going
construction has caused. It also appears that local traffic police
haven’t stepped in to monitor traffic along the route.

Vandzor Mayor Samvel Darbinyan early this year earmarked 70 million
AMD to fill in pot holes that turned local streets into a veritable
obstacle course for drivers. Another 70 million will be allocated
for the second half of the year to make most of the town’s streets
passable.

Local store owners along the streets now being torn up say they have
complained several times about the state of the sidewalks left in
the wake of the construction crews.

“We’ve written four times to the municipality. Either they don’t have
the funds or they don’t want to fix the mess they leave behind. It’s a
shame. Perhaps they leave the sidewalks in such a state hoping that
the will repair them. We tried to fix them but it doesn’t last,”
complained Tigran, a shop owner.

ARMENIAN DEPUTY FM: THE SOONER AZERBAIJAN RECOGNIZES KARABAKH, THE BETTER THINGS WILL BE

June 26, 2013 | 13:33

YEREVAN. – Azerbaijan has only one opportunity to raise its flag
in Stepanakert – to recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR),
Armenian Deputy FM said.

Talking to reporters, Shavarsh Kocharyan commented on Azerbaijan’s
statements distorting historic facts and promises to raise the flag
in Stepanakert.

“Azerbaijan has only one opportunity to raise the flag. Baku must
recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, establish diplomatic
relations and open a diplomatic representation with the consent of
NKR authorities,” he said.

Therefore, the sooner Azerbaijan recognizes Karabakh, the sooner the
country will get an opportunity consider the flag issue.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am