Author: Kanayan Tamar

LA TURQUIE MET EN GARDE MERKEL ET L’UE CONCERNANT SES AMBITIONS PRO-EUROPEENNES

ANKARA,2013 (AFP) – Le ministre turc des Affaires europeennes Egemen
Bagis a sevèrement mis en garde jeudi la chancelière Angela Merkel
contre toute tentation de faire de l’adhesion de la Turquie a l’Union
europeenne un enjeu de politique interieure allemande.

“Si Mme Merkel se cherche du materiel destine a la politique interieure
pour ses elections, ce materiel ne doit pas etre la Turquie”, a lance
M. Bagis devant la presse, en reference aux elections legislatives
prevues en septembre en Allemagne.

“Mme Merkel doit savoir que ceux qui s’occupent de la Turquie
finissent mal. Regardez ce qui est arrive a (Nicolas) Sarkozy”, a
ajoute le ministre turc en rappelant la defaite de l’ex-president
francais, notoirement hostile a l’entree de la Turquie dans l’UE,
lors de l’election presidentielle de 2012.

“La Turquie n’est pas un pays destine a servir aux jeux de politique
interieure”, a insiste M. Bagis. En fevrier, la chancelière s’etait
montree favorable a l’ouverture d’un nouveau chapitre de negociations
avec la Turquie, tout en affirmant qu’elle etait sceptique quant a
l’aboutissement des negociations. Mais dans un document interne cite
par les medias turcs, le parti conservateur de Mme Merkel proclame son
refus d’une adhesion de la Turquie a l’UE, estimant que l’integration
de ce pays de 75 millions d’habitants, en très grand majorite de
confession musulmane, constituerait une charge trop importante pour
les Europeens.

La Turquie a ouvert en 2005 des negociations d’adhesion a l’UE, mais
les pourparlers patinent en raison de l’hostilite de pays comme la
France et l’Allemagne a sa pleine adhesion et a cause de blocages
d’Ankara, notamment sur la question chypriote.

Les pays europeens ont multiplie ces derniers jours les critiques
contre la repression brutale, par la police turque, des manifestations
qui ont vise pendant près de trois semaines le gouvernement
islamo-conservateur au pouvoir depuis 2002.

Mme Merkel avait juge la semaine dernière “beaucoup trop dure”
l’intervention de la police turque contre les protestataires.

vendredi 21 juin 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

RUSSIA DOES NOT INTEND TO LOSE ARMENIA – POLITICAL SCIENTIST

June 21, 2013 | 14:25

YEREVAN. – Russia does not wish and does not intend to lose Armenia,
since it is fully confident that official Yerevan “will not flee
anywhere.”

Political scientist Ara Papyan said the abovementioned during a press
conference on Friday, commenting on the information about Russia
selling land weaponry to Azerbaijan.

In his words, the selling of weapons will not cause a resumption
of hostilities at the line of contact between Azerbaijan and
Nagorno-Karabakh.

“A war is inconvenient for the West because, regardless of the outcome
of the war, the BP Company alone will suffer great losses. But we
should not forget that our strategic partner, Russia, supplies
arms to our enemy [i.e., Azerbaijan], which can be calamitous,”
the analyst stated.

In Ara Papyan’s conviction, if the hostilities resume, Russia will
appear in an advantageous position and it will proposition Armenia
to make a choice, and, naturally, the choice will be made in Russia’s
favor.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

STEPANAKERT SEES ‘MISUNDERSTANDING’ BEHIND FM’S INTERVIEW BLUNDER

Karabakh | 21.06.13 | 09:09

A presidential spokesman in Karabakh has called it a case of
misunderstanding as a result of which Foreign Minister Karen Mirzoyan,
in an interview with France 24 television channel, ‘acknowledged’
the prospect of Karabakh’s becoming part of Azerbaijan in the future.

“There was a misunderstanding in the interview. The man who
conducted the interview and the foreign minister of Karabakh seemed
to misunderstand each other. Karen Mirzoyan was still answering the
previous question when that question was asked,” David Babayan told
Aysor.am.

“As a citizen, an official, let alone the foreign minister of Artsakh,
he could not have expressed such a position,” said Babayan, again
articulating Stepanakert’s position that “it is ruled out that Artsakh
will be again part of Azerbaijan”.

In the interview aired last week, in response to the remark question:
“You wound not ever see the prospect of… perhaps being a part
of Azerbaijan ever again?”, Mirzoyan replies (in English): “Look,
there are some prospects, there are some hopes, but I am not going
to make propaganda, but I believe that first of all Azerbaijan has
to change its stance, its position…” Before that he was replying
to the question regarding prospects of peace in Karabakh.

Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan had
to comment on the information spread by some media according to which
during his visit to Ukraine Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko
said in an interview with Izvestia Ukraine newspaper that “there is
no life in Nagorno-Karabakh”.

In reply to the inquiry from Novosti-Armenia News Agency, the Armenian
official said that based on the information received from the Belarus
Foreign Ministry, Lukashenko did not make such a statement. Moreover,
he said, Lukashenko did not give an interview to Izvestia Ukraine
during his official visit to Ukraine.

RUSSIA MUST KNOW THAT ARMENIA ALWAYS HAS AN ALTERNATIVE

Head of Modus Vivendi center Ara Papyan, political scientist, dwelt on
the issue of Russia’s sale of armaments to Azerbaijan. According to
him, Russia should not sell weapons to Azerbaijan because Armenia is
its strategic partner, and these kinds of partners are those who are
ready to sacrifice their economic and political interests for the sake
of their partner. Armenia should issue an official statement about the
unacceptability of such a behavior of our partner. We have always been
committed to our partnership with Russia and have had economic losses.

When we apply to the West for investments, they say your strategic
partner is Russia, so let it help you. While our strategic partner is
arming our enemy, says Papyan adding that in case of a war thousands
of victims will be recorded on both sides and Russia should announce
that it is earning money on our blood.

The arguments that Russia supplies free of charge weapons to Armenia
is groundless because no one ever saw those weapons. The speaker noted
that it is impossible to know the reaction of Russia to the war because
we have the sad experience of how it behaved in 1917, 1929-20, 1990s.

According to Ara Papyan, Russia’s step is determined by the fact
that Armenia is in Russia’s pocket, but Russia must know that Armenia
always has an alternative.

Ara Papyan said relating to the membership to the Eurasian Union that
we can’t join a structure, about which we have no idea. That is an
amorphous idea.

15:53 21/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT HAS NOT SAID “THERE IS NO NORMAL LIFE” IN NKR: COMMENT OF ARMENIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY

20:16, 20 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS: President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko
has not made a declaration with statement “there is no normal life”
in NKR. “Armenpress” reports that about this declared Deputy Foreign
affairs minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan responding to the
observation of “Novosti Armenia” agency that in the interview to one
of Ukrainian newspapers Belarusian president has made unacceptable
statements about Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

According to that information Alexander Lukashenko has allegedly
declared that “there is no normal life” in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“According to the information received from Foreign affairs ministry
of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has not made a declaration
with such statements,” stressed Deputy foreign affairs minister and
added that during official visit to Ukraine Belarusian president has
not given an interview to “Izvestia Ukraine”newspaper.

MOSCOW THEATRE HEADED BY DZHIGARKHANYAN WILL ALSO TAKE PART IN “DUET” THEATRICAL FESTIVAL

21:02, 20 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS: In support of Ministry of Culture of
Armenia Gyumri Dramatic theater after Vardan Achemyan will hold “Duet”
international theatrical festival. The president of the festival is
professor Nikolay Tsaturyan. “Armenpress” was informed about this
from Minsitry of Culture of Armenia.

In the festival are included only those theatre and theatrical groups
which present a play of two acting people. 18 theaters will take
part in the festival. 12 of them are from Armenia, the others are
from Russia, France, Ukraine and Georgia. The number of theaters
which wished to take part in the festival was greater but taking
into consideration the format and abilities of the festival only 18
of them were selected. There are days when 4 plays are planned to be
performed. The plays will be performed in Dramatic theatre of Gyumri
and academy of art.

Among the participants are Moscow dramatic theater headed by Armen
Dzhigarkhanyan, Armenian state dramatic theater after Petros Adamyan
in Tbilisi and several theaters from Armenia.

The opening ceremony of “Duet” international theatrical festival will
take place on July 1 with performance “Life in pink light” of Moscow
dramatic theater headed by Armen Dzhigarkhanyan. The closing ceremony
will take place on July 8.

EX-AZERI OFFICIAL SLAMS ALIYEV GOVERNMENT

20:57 ~U 20.06.13

A former Azerbaijani official has criticized President Ilham Aliyev’s
administration, comparing it with a beheaded chicken.

According to Haqqin.az, Isa Sadikhov, an ex deputy minister of defense
who is now on the international wanted list, made the statement while
commenting on the authorities’ decision to launch an international
search.

“The authorities, experiencing a feeling of agony, behave like beheaded
chickens,. They do not have to search me as I am where I am supposed
to be. As for them, there will be no need search them because we are
not planning to ‘let them out’ of the country. Very little is left
till their demise,” the former official said in a Facebook post.

The Azerbaijani Military Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday made a
decision to add Sadikhov’s name to the international wanted list
over a criminal case with two decades’ history. The charges against
the former deputy minister were dropped in 2001, but the legal was
re-launched last year. No details of the case are known except the
fact that Sadikhov was prosecuted for abuse.

The former official, residing in Norway since 2011, said recently
that he is closely following the developments in his country and has
plans to return to Azerbaijan and, upon necessity, join the opposition
National Council party. Analysts reportedly see political motives
behind the renewed prosecution.

Armenian News – Tert.am

GAS SCANDAL: IRAN CALLS ARMENIA TO CHANGE POLICY

The gas story must be clarified and separated from economy and
politics. Apparently, Iran is acting in this direction, trying to
introduce new facts on the amount and prices of Iranian gas supplied
to Armenia.

It will inevitably force Armenia or Russia to publish the amounts
which are now considered to be a commercial secret, namely the price
of Russian gas provided toArmenia, the price ARG pays for Iranian
gas on the Armenian border and much more.

Judging by the released information the Iranian and Russian gas
are not expensive at the border. The price increases inside Armenia
where the gas distribution network is owned by ARG. The pricing of
this company is a commercial secret. No one knows why the company’s
markup is so high, how much it is and where profits go.

Now Gazprom is trying to take the 20% at ARG belonging to the
government of Armenia. Apparently, Iran is angry for this so it
openly states that Yerevan is not fulfilling commitments set in
interstate agreement.

In Armenia they affirm that we are buying less gas from Iran because
there is no power transmission line able to ensure the necessary
amount of electricity to be supplied to Iran in exchange of the gas.

Yesterday, the parliament approved tax and customs allowances for
the layout of the high voltage power transmission line. Apparently,
this is done to convey to Iran Armenia’s willingness to increase
import of gas from Iran.

In fact, Iran is trying to change the policy. It calls Armenia to
refuse at least part of Gazprom services and buy cheap gas from Iran.

By the way, today the British court decided to lift sanctions against
Iranian Mellat Bank. Sanctions against Iran will soften, and Iran is
taking this advantage to call Armenia to fulfill its commitments made
back in 2004.

Buying more gas from Iran, Armenia will diversify not only its energy
but also politics. For this reaosn Armenia should not give its 20%
of ARG to Russia but nationalize distribution networks.

This will be a scandal, Russia may inform about another large supply
of weapon to Azerbaijan but giving away the right to manage the Iranian
gas to Russia may cause a scandal in the Iran-Armenia relations.

Iran’s president is no longer Ahmadinejad who was a friend of
Kocharyan. Now Iran has another president, and he may wonder how
things with Armenia are. Tomorrow, there may be news on how ARG
uses the Iranian gas or how Armenian officials warm water in their
swimming pools free of charge, what the IMF representative to Armenia
Tolosa said.

Armenia, of course, can stand aside and watch Iran dealing with Gazprom
but in the current situation Armenia will hardly get away with it.

Naira Hayrumyan 17:22 20/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

THE BASES TO BRING “ISKANDER-M” COMPLEXES TO ARMENIA WERE LAID SINCE 2010

June 19 2013

It remains to verify whether they are provided to the armed forces
of Armenia or to 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri. It has been
two or three weeks since persistent rumors have circulated that
“Iskander-M” complexes were brought to Armenia. So far there are no
denials or approvals or, generally, a respond from the authorities
of Armenia in connection with the said information. In early June,
the sources of the Ministry of Defense confirmed the information to
the “Freedom” radio station about the fact that there are several
complexes of medium-range attacking missile of “Iskander-M” type in
the territory of Armenia. They are considered the most modern weapons,
the range of “Iskander-M” complexes is over 400 kilometers. On June 3,
“Stratrisks” periodical wrote that the source of the Defense Ministry
had noted that the location of “Iskander-M” complexes is a secret,
and refused to clarify whether the missile complexes would be
provided to Armenia’s armed forces or to the 102nd Russian military
base in Gyumri. In fact, this is a very important question, because
deployment of such systems in Armenia may become an opportunity
of many different speculations, first from the West, and why not,
from the neighboring state Georgia. It is noteworthy to mention that
“Stratrisks” periodical has stated that the Russian-Armenian defense
agreement concluded in August of 2010 includes a provision according
to which Moscow is planning to supply “a modern military equipment of
special assignment” to Yerevan, and concluded, that, consequently,
the Russian support was focused on modernizing five-years of the
Armenian Army, which was adopted by Serzh Sargsyan in 2010. Indeed,
let us try to understand. Does Russia have the legal basis to take
such a step …?

It appears that it has and its base were laid a long three years ago.

In 2010 Russia and Armenia extended the period of contract on
deployment of Russian base until the year 2044. The protocol was signed
in Yerevan in August 2010. The terms of the contract was for 25 years,
the protocol extends it up to 49 years (starting from 1995). On June
2011, the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on
ratification of the protocol regarding the extension of the period
for deployment of Russian military base in Armenia up to 2044. It’s
worth to remind that the military base in Gyumri is included in the
Southern Military District of Russia, and the Russian military base
was significantly modernized. Three years ago, a big noise was raised,
and the issue was widely discussed as to why the terms of the contract
for deployment of the Russian base should be extended until 2044.

Different political opinions were voiced. Yet, another interesting
circumstance that deserved more attention was left out of attention
during those days. The Russian side along with the extension of the
terms on deployment of a military base provided for by the contract
has made a clever move, providing bases for further “modernization”.

Here it is. The protocol adopted by RF and Armenia posted on the
official website of the President of Russia on June 27, 2011, says
the following that the Russian military base in the territory of
Armenia, in addition to protecting the interests of Russia, provides
the security of the Republic of Armenia together with the Armed Forces
of Armenia: “For this purpose the Russian side implements provision
of modern and compatible arms and special defense technology”. Then it
is stipulated by the protocol: “The provision of modern and compatible
weaponry, military (special) equipment to armed forces of Armenia will
be implemented in cooperation with foreign countries in compliance
with the legislation on RF defense technology cooperation”. Now the
questions whether “Iskander-M” complexes were brought in or not, or
why they are late, as the bases for bringing them into Armenia were
laid three years ago. The only interesting question that remains open
is this whether the “Iskander-M” complexes are provided to the Armed
Forces of the Republic of Armenia, or to the 102nd Russian military
base in Gyumri. Emma GABRIELYAN

Read more at:

© 1998 – 2013 Aravot – News from Armenia

THERE IS NO RISK IN GIVING 20% OF ARMENIA’S SHARES IN ARMRUSGASPROM TO GAZPROM: ARMEN MOVSISYAN

15:40, 20 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS: There is no risk in giving the
20% of the shares of the Government of the Republic of Armenia
in Armrusgasprom to the Gazprom. This was stated by the Minister
of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia Armen Movsisyan at the
briefing with the journalists. He noted that otherwise this issue
would not been placed on the table of negotiations.

“If this deal is profitable for the Government and the nation of
Armenia, we will do it and if not, we won’t do that”, – said Armen
Movsisyan, adding that it is not compulsory, as reported by Armenpress.

The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia stated as
well that if the 100% of the shares go to the Gazprom, it would not
change anything, as according to the Legislation of the Republic of
Armenia, the power supply functions in Armenia are considered to be
licensed functions.

“It does not matter who owns the 100% of the shares, as he should
act according to the license given by the Republic of Armenia and
in the field of the Public Services Regulatory Commission”, – stated
Armen Movsisyan.

The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia stated once
more that at this moment the negotiations are in the process and no
deal has been yet made. The discussions will be completed by the end
of the month.

The Russian side announced that during the negotiations Armen Movsisyan
and Alexey Miller discussed the pricing issues for the Russian gas for
the consumers of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the possibility
to make the Gazprom’s shares in the Armrusgasprom 100%.

On March 31 2006 the Gazprom and the Government of the Republic
of Armenia signed a 25-year agreement on the participation of the
Gazprom in the gas and energy projects implementation, carried out
in the territory of the Republic. In accordance with the document, it
is intended to increase the share of the Gazprom in the Armrusgasprom
Company by issuing additional shares.

In the result of the issue of shares, the Gazprom’s share in the
Armrusgasprom’s share capital has been increased to 80%.