Author: Kanayan Tamar

NATO estimates cooperation with Armenia in process of assuring
international security. Kolinda Grabar`KitaroviÄ?

20:38, 8 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS: Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward
Nalbandian on Monday received NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for
Public Diplomacy, Ambassador Kolinda Grabar`KitaroviÄ?. Welcoming the
guest Minister Nalbandian has noted that relations between Armenia and
NATO are regularly developing, the evidence of which are high level
mutual visits in 2012.

As Armenpress was informed from press, informational and public
relations department of Armenian Foreign Ministry, Kolinda
Grabar`KitaroviÄ? expressed gratitude for the reception and noted that
North Atlantic alliance estimated the cooperation with Armenia in
process of assuring international security, contribution of Armenia in
Kosovo and peace-keeping missions in Afghanistan.

Edward Nalbandian has noted that Armenia is interested in further
deepening of political dialogue with NATO and stressed the importance
of cooperation in frames of different formats.

On guest’s request Foreign Minister presented latest developments of
negotiation process of NKR conflict.

Raffi Hovannisian’s supporters from Gyumri approach Armenia’s capital

20:05 – 08.04.13

A group of Gyumri residents citizens that intend to attend Heritage
party leader Raffi Hovannisian’s inauguration scheduled for April 9
have approached Yerevan.

They left Gyumri on Sunday morning and marched to Armenia’s capital.

Heritage Vice-Chairman Armen Martirosyan, who is taking part in the
march, told Tert.am that the group is going to spend the night in the
open air.

`We are going to have a rest and continue our way to Yerevan early in
the morning,’ Mr Martirosyan said.

Some people joined the group on the way to Yerevan.

Armenian News – Tert.am

New scandal maturing in Azerbaijani army

12:26 – 08.04.13

The Azerbaijani army is about to face a new scandal as the parents of
an army private reported to have committed suicide claim their son was
killed.

The death of the soldier, Ivanov Elman Yuzuboglu, was confirmed by the
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on Saturday.

Speaking to a journalist of the opposition-run newspaper Azadliq, the
parents said they had observed traces of stab wounds on the back of
Ivanov’s head.

According to Haqqin.az, the family doesn’t believe their son could
have committed suicide, saying that they every day talked to him on
the mobile to know he was in high spirits. Days before the tragic
incident, Imanov was promoted to a sergeant’s rank.

In 2012 alone, 76 deaths were recorded in the Azerbaijani army. Of
them, 17 cases were suicides and 12 – murders by fellow servicemen.
The other army privates were reported to have been killed in
casualties (including border tensions across the Armenian Azerbaijani
Contact Line).

Armenian News – Tert.am

What Will Happen On April 9

One more day and life will continue along its regular path. Despite
recent attempts to `revaluate’ April 9, it will be a usual day when
Serzh Sargsyan will take on his second term, and on Freedom Square, as
Raffi Hovannisian put it, inauguration of New Armenia will be held. As
such, it will remain one of the memorial days.

However, the meaning of this day may be more than just a memorial. It
will depend on what `burden’ the government, opposition and public
have brought along with them into April 9.

The government has reached here by way of fraud and an intention to
leave everything as it is.

The opposition has been unable to discard the logic and algorithm of
internal political struggle over the past decades.

The society has reached this day more mature, and is trying not to
link its activity to the activity of political forces. This tendency
is still weak but it is there and could grow.

Hence, in the long run, there is anarchy in Armenia. Since
independence Armenia has not had a government. And the problem is not
only the lack of internal legitimacy but significant actions in the
life of the country.

The Armenian political system has wasted the statehood resource over
these years, justifying its own inaction and inability by demagogy
about `difficulties of the transition period’, `mentality’ and other.
Instead, a pseudo-state has been built with distorted the institutions
and legislation. Now we have a sign stating `Republic of Armenia’
which is affixed to twenty years of ordinary crime against the state
and people.

For over twenty years the Armenian government and political system
have been usurped by opportunists, party leaders with complexes and
criminals whose activities addressed their own group interests. The
role of state institutions and parties has been reduced to that of
supporting the personal interests of these groups. It is not important
how the government and opposition will behave on that day. It is
important whether a process will start on April 10 which will pursue
change of the abovementioned situation. Are the government and
political forces ready for that, will there be a change of the process
of state building and organization of domestic life?

However, it is hard to expect such an activity from the political
system. It is important whether the society is ready for that. Are
they ready to end indifference, irresponsibility, stereotypes and
perceptions imposed on them by the political system which instilled in
people that nothing will change anyway?

Life showed that it is not so and in all those cases when the society,
its small groups and individuals have been able to put forth claims
and mechanisms and follow them up, they have reached their purpose.
These examples are open to everyone.

Generally, problems in the world are resolved through money and guns
until the moment when a different consciousness awakes which it cannot
ignore. The primary issue of the Armenian political class was the
prevention of such consciousness. It was successful for two decades
but it cannot last any longer. It produced the effect of boomerang and
hit the political system. The expression is the attitude of the public
– lack of confidence and irony. Any strong system would be hopeless
against lack of confidence and irony.
Haik Aramyan
11:22 08/04/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

Turkey again links normalization with Armenia to Karabakh issue

KARABAKH | 08.04.13 | 12:30

Ahmet Davutoglu

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has again linked the issue of
normalization of Turkish-Armenian with the Nagorno-Karabakh
settlement.

In remarks at a joint press conference with visiting U.S. Secretary of
State John Kerry in Istanbul on Sunday, Davutoglu, in particular, said
that Turkish-Armenian relations need `a much more comprehensive
approach’.

`The Turkish and Armenian relations are of crucial importance, which
need a much more comprehensive approach to be initiated,’ said the
Turkish official, according to the transcript of the press conference
published on the U.S. Department of State’s official website.

`The Minsk process should be provided with an ever-increasing
momentum, and the invaded territory of Azerbaijan is an issue that we
need certain advancement within. So we will keep on touching on those
issues in the future,’ he added.

Ankara also linked its normalization with Yerevan to progress in the
Karabakh settlement in 2009 when the two estranged neighbors came
close to settling their century-old feud and opening the border.
Armenia has repeatedly accused Turkey of derailing the rapprochement
with its position. The broader international community, including the
United States, has also repeatedly backed Armenia’s view that
normalization should proceed without preconditions.

Edgar Manucharyan scores hat-trick for FC Ural

April 8, 2013

Armenian national’s forward Edgar Manucharyan scored hat-trick in a
regular match of Russian first division.

After the first half, Manucharyan’s FC Ural leads 3-0 in a match
against FC Sibir.

NEWS.am Sport

Israel, America and Turkey

A useful first step

Warmer American relations with Israel help to end its Turkish tiff

Mar 30th 2013 | ANKARA AND JERUSALEM |From the print edition
FOR the first time in years, the whiff of a wind of change is wafting
through Israel’s diplomatic air, thanks to Barack Obama’s recent
visit. The message the American president imparted was that he is
determined in his final term to have another go at making peace
between Jews and Arabs in the Middle East. Though full of the usual
bromides, his speech to a gathering of young Israelis percolated down
to the undecided centre of Israeli politics, where distrust for Mr
Obama – and for Palestinians – has been strong. The American president may
have persuaded at least some such Israelis to ponder again the need
for a Palestinian state.

The trip’s more tangible result, however, was Mr Obama’s apparent
success in persuading Israel’s prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, to
apologise at last to Turkey for the death of nine Turks killed by
Israeli commandos in 2010 stopping a flotilla of Turkish boats from
reaching Gaza.

`Israelis love Turkey,’ declares the blurb of an Israeli package-tour
operator, hoping to promote the resort of Antalya once again as
Israel’s favourite tourist destination. On the strength of Mr
Netanyahu’s apology, he may be onto a winner.

Just before Mr Obama flew out of Israel, he handed Mr Netanyahu his
telephone to speak to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister.
After nearly four years of estrangement, America’s two most powerful
and closest allies in the Middle East agreed to co-operate again. Once
Israel’s compensation to the Turks has been settled, diplomatic
relations will be restored.

Both sides have much to gain. Israel hopes Mr Erdogan will rescue it
from its isolation since the downfall of friendly regional autocrats,
in particular in Egypt. The two countries may now be able to share
copious amounts of natural gas recently found in the eastern
Mediterranean. They should resume co-operation in military
intelligence. And Israelis may soon again enjoy those tours. Even when
relations were at their nadir, military sales continued, as did
foreign trade worth $3 billion a year.

All the same, the Israeli-Turkish strategic relationship is unlikely
to be wholly restored, not least because of Mr Erdogan’s sharp tongue.
A month ago he called Zionism `a crime against humanity’, so
threatening to ruin America’s bridge-building. `The 1990s are over,’
says Nimrod Goren, an Israeli academic who kept open a discreet
channel when even Turkish and Israeli spies refused to exchange words.

And a host of regional issues may yet prise them apart. Mr Netanyahu
will turn a deaf ear to Mr Erdogan’s call for Israel to vacate East
Jerusalem and the West Bank and to open up Gaza entirely. In his
written apology, Mr Netanyahu said he would ease restrictions on
supplies to that Palestinian coastal strip ruled by Hamas. But Israel
seems bent on keeping up its blockade by air and sea, which first
prompted Turkey’s flotilla to try to get there.

Meanwhile Mr Erdogan’s party people hailed the apology as a big
victory. `We stood firm and brought them to their knees,’ tweeted a
young party activist. Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s foreign minister, cut
short a trip to Poland to bask in credit back home. Turkish newspapers
announced that Mr Erdogan was planning a triumphal visit to Gaza, not
least to see a new hospital being built by the Turks.

Unless Mr Erdogan softens his rhetoric, a showdown with Israel could
easily recur. Moreover, Turkey’s prime minister is likely to rebuff Mr
Netanyahu’s request to help persuade Iran to drop its nuclear
ambitions. Israel has had to discount hopes that the Turks would let
its fighter aircraft fly over its territory. And it has so far failed
to convince the Turks that Iran is close to getting a bomb. `Even if
it could,’ says Alon Liel, an Israeli ex-ambassador to Ankara, `Turkey
doesn’t believe it is the target.’

At least over Syria there may be scope for co-operation. After months
of hesitation, Israel now agrees with Turkey that President Bashar
Assad must go. Both Israel and Turkey agree that al-Qaeda should be
prevented from reaping the fruits of Mr Assad’s fall. Israel, says Mr
Liel, might even endorse Syria’s takeover by a Western-leaning
Islamist government – at any rate, if it were modelled on Turkey’s.

APA, Azerbaijan
April 7 2013

Gazakh resident missing on border with Armenia found dead

[ 07 April 2013 12:50 ]

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva – APA. Gazakh resident Sabir Karimov, who went
missing on border with Armenia on April 2, has been found dead,
Karimov’s cousin Metleb Mustafayev told APA.

He said that the body was found in the forest along the line of
contact in the morning. The body of Karimov, who had hit mine, was
found dismembered.

The body has not been taken from the site yet. Metleb Mustafayev said
the body will be handed to the family after the representatives of the
prosecutor’s office examine the site.

Karimov Sabir Muhit, 46, resident of Khanliglar village of Gazakh
region, went missing in the forest along the line of contact on April
2.

He was supposed to cross into Armenia and have been captured by
Armenian servicemen.

Rule of Law party not dissatisfied with incumbent mayor, but claim
they can do more

15:10 – 07.04.13

Rule of Law party launched its Yerevan City Council election campaign
today in Armenia Marriott hotel. Party’s leader Arthur Baghdasaryan,
party’s representatives topping the list were participating in the
event.

Speaking to reporters Emergency Situations Minister Armen Yeristayn,
who tops the list, said there is not a yard in Yerevan the issues of
which he does not know. He stressed that he wants to become a mayor
not because the incumbent Taron Margaryan is a bad one but because
they can do more.

`With its programs the Rule of Law party is ready to win though it has
serious contenders. Three years ago when I assumed the office of
Emergency Situations Minister replacing our party mate Mher
Shahgeldyan, it did not mean that he was working bad. I came and I
offered my working style, now we want to bring this style here,’ he
said.

Yeritsyan convinced that after becoming a mayor he will first focus on
social insurance issues, will fight against corruption. `The office of
Yerevan mayor is not to be enjoyed but it means hard work. In short
period of time it will be seen whether you came to work or waste
time,’ Yeritsyan said.

The party’s leader Arthur Baghdasaryan stressed that innovative
solutions are necessary for the management of the city which they are
going to introduce.

`Yerevan is our home and we have to do more for it to make it
convenient for all of us. The program we present is ambitious and
realistic, the offered team is hard working,’ he said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

SYRIE
Les districts arméniens d’Alep en danger

Une nouvelle vague d’affrontements en Syrie a causé des problèmes dans
les quartiers arméniens. Zhirair Reisyan, porte-parole du diocèse
local de l’Église Apostolique Arménienne a indiqué que les cimetières
sont dans lea zone dangereuse, et les gens ne peuvent pas enterrer
leurs morts.

« Heureusement, la communauté arménienne n’a pas subi des pertes au
cours des derniers jours » a déclaré M. Reisyan. Après que des
militants ont saisi le district cheikh Maqsud qui est d’une forte
importance stratégique, certains quartiers arméniens sont exposés à un
danger.

Certaines familles arméniennes ont été évacuées du district de Cheikh
Maqsud. Les autres doivent rester dans leur maison et reçoivent de
l’aide.

La ville n’a guère d’alimentation électrique et de communications téléphoniques.

dimanche 7 avril 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com