Author: Kanayan Tamar

LE PRESIDENT DU COMITE DES RECETTES D’ETAT FERAIT-IL EGALEMENT OBSTACLE A L’ARRIVEE DE CARREFOUR EN ARMENIE ?

Selon les informations de Jamanak, l’oligarque Samvel Alexanian
ne serait pas le seul a faire obstacle a l’arrivee de Carrefour
en Armenie. Le President du Comite des recettes d’Etat, Gaguik
Katchatrian, important importateur et proprietaire d’un reseau de
supermarches, aurait aussi cree, a son tour, des problèmes pour
Carrefour (le quotidien ne donne pas de details), bien qu’il ait
recemment declare devant les medias qu’il ne connaissait personne
au sein du Gouvernement qui s’opposait a l’arrivee de Carrefour
en Armenie.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 7 mars 2013

jeudi 14 mars 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LE PRIX DES OFFRES TOURISTIQUES VERS L’ARMENIE A AUGMENTE DE 10 A 20%

C’est ce qu’a declare le vice-directeur de l’Union des agences
touristiques d’Armenie, evoquant l’augmentation du prix des
services des points de restauration, ce qui rendrait l’Armenie
non-concurrentielle du point de vue touristique par rapport a ses
voisins. Il a par ailleurs regrette que contrairement aux annees
precedentes, on ne puisse compter cette annee sur des flux de
touristes iraniens vers l’Armenie a l’occasion de la fete religieuse
de Novrouz. De surcroît, en 2012, trois compagnies aeriennes, British
Airways, Polis Airlines et airBaltic de Lettonie, ont suspendu leurs
vols vers l’Armenie. / Azg, Haykakan Jamanak

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 7 mars 2013

jeudi 14 mars 2013, Stephane ©armenews.co

ERDOGAN EN 3EME POSITION POUR LA PRESIDENTIELLE DE 2014

Alors que la Turquie pourrait se tourner vers un regime uniquement
presidentiel, le dernier sondage en date donne le premier ministre
Recep Tayyip Erdogan 3ème, si l’election presidentielle avait lieu
cette annee.

Repondant a la question ” Qui voulez-vous comme president ?”, 30,2%
des consultes ont place en tete l’actuel chef de l’Etat Abdullah Gul.

Il est suivi par Kemal Kilicdaroglu (leader du CHP, plus grand parti
d’opposition) et Tayyip Erdogan, bon troisième.

Il reste un an au premier ministre turc pour inverser les chiffres,
en avancant positivement sur l’epineuse question kurde.

jeudi 14 mars 2013, Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

AUTHORITIES APPEARED IN COMPLICATED SITUATION – HERITAGE PARTY DEPUTY LEADER

TERT.AM
14:10 ~U 13.03.13

Raffi Hovannisian’s hunger strike has made the authorities appear in
complicated situation, “no matter how cynically they comment on it,”
deputy leader of Heritage party Armen Martirosyan said at an open
air news conference in the Liberty Square. Martirosyan claimed that
the authorities have lost the control of the created situation.

“The conscious of our citizens has changed and their [authorities’]
bribes do not have the same impact what they used to have. They are
in panic,” he said.

The Heritage party deputy leader said the crisis is all-national,
thus it demands all-national solution. “I hope the incumbent president
will realize it and be sober. Decisive steps have already been taken,
they were taken on February 18. I hope this solution will not be
delayed and after the meeting the third and fourth presidents will
come up with real proposals,” he said.

Martirosyan refuted talks about the formation of shadow government.

Speaking about the upcoming Yerevan Council of Elders elections,
he said they do not see any problem if their partner ARF-D comes up
with separate list with Armen Rustamyan heading it. As to the joint
list he said they do not see any issue in it as well, with Raffi
Hovannisian having stated that their movement is pan-national.

“If a decision is made to come up with a joint list, naturally it
will consolidate the united fight,” he said.

Martirosyan said the vector of the political fight has moved from
presidential residence to the Liberty Square with the hunger strike of
Raffi Hovannisian, who, in this way, has moved the vector on himself.

The party’s representative also said that not only criminal-oligarchic
elements are in power but there are politically sensible people as
well and voiced hope that they will have their impact and enter into
a dialogue with the people proposing real solutions.

Martirosyan said if nevertheless there were some unifications in the
upcoming Council of Elders elections in Yerevan, neither of parties
would have lost its dependence. He voiced opinion that the failure
to unite is not agreed with ambitions. He said he is a bit aware of
the situation and it was not the matter of ambitions.

He added that each political force has a right to pursue own interests
as it presents the interests of certain number of people.

Martirosyan said it is the choice of each what stance to adopt,
‘but people are in the Liberty Square today both physically and
spiritually despite pressures and threats.’

14 ARMENIAN GMS TO PARTICIPATE IN EUROPEAN INDIVIDUAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

14:22, 13 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. 14 Armenian Chess Grand Masters will
participate in the European Individual Chess Championship.

The Chess Federation of Armenia informed “Armenpress” that Armenian
chess players Grand Masters Vladimir Akopian, Sergei Movsesian, Gabriel
Sargissian, Tigran L. Petrosian, Hrant Melkumyan, Robert Hovhannisyan,
Arman Pashikian, Avetik Grigoryan, Zaven Andriasian, Elina Danielian,
Hovhannes Gabuzyan, IM Karen H. Grigoryan, FM Robert Aghasaryan,
Vladimir Pogosian are going to take part in the European Individual
Chess Championship to be held on May 5-16, 2013 in Legnica, Poland.

JUDY CHU URGED THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO STAND WITH NAGORNO-KARABAKH PEOPLE

11:40, 13 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. On March 11 the U. S. congressman
Judy Chu made a statement regarding Nagorno Karabakh in the House of
Representatives, which was broadcasted by C-SPAN TV channel. Judy Chu
reminded the speaker and members of the House of Representatives that
the current year marked the 25th anniversary of a critical turning
point for the Armenian people, who lived in Azerbaijan. Their struggle
on the way to self-determination and freedom deserves respect. As
reports “Armenpress” she stated: “In 1991, Nagorno-Karabakh officially
declared independence, becoming a democratic state committed to freedom
and respect for human rights. Despite dual blockades and threats
from neighboring Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh has held a series of
democratic elections and continues to work hard to strengthen its
economy. I stand with the people of Nagorno-Karabakh in this noble
pursuit.”

Among other things she also noted that for the next 2 years following
the struggle, which began in 1988, the Armenian population was the
target of racially motivated pogroms. Hundreds of Armenians were
murdered and more wounded during violent attacks in Sumgait, Kirovabad,
and Baku.

RAFFI OVERCAME, SERZH DIDN’T

Haik Aramyan
11:16 13/03/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

Once Serzh Sargsyan said that the RPA is not a pack of wolves when
asked to comment on the situation in the Republican Party. He meant
that Republicans have personal opinions too.

But the RPA political course proves the opposite. It could not be
otherwise taking into account the functions and goals the party
pursues or rather the groups for which the RPA is just a political
signboard to address their personal issues.

The same goes for almost all the other Armenian parties. It is
determined by the lack of political culture and internal democracy,
the authoritarian system rooted in the Armenian society and historical
complexes.

Armenian parties are usually autocratic organizations built around
one person. In order to preserve this structure they are led by the
principle “power gives rights”, “national unity” and other nonsense.

It is easy. Being helpless in home and foreign issues, these groups
hide their helplessness and real purpose behind “winning” slogans.

In the modern world, however, it is difficult to hide behind nonsense
and deception. Irrevocable processes are taking place in Armenia
which gave birth to the society which has perceived their rights
and responsibilities. A process of liberation of false values is
underway. One can’t but see this process but the Armenian political
class does not react to it. The reason is both personal complexes
and ambitions of party leaders and the fact that any reaction would
bring about collapse of the party.

But this process is irreversible, and the consequence is the fact that
two major parties, the PAP and ANC, have become “political corpses”.

The RPA has been in political coma for a long time and it is sustained
by the governmental levers.

Raffi Hovannisian understands this and uses this tactics on Freedom
Square stating that the party flags are coming down. Though the
Heritage Party has always differed from the rest of the parties
with its civil activity is, nevertheless, an autocratic structure,
a representative of the “traditional” political culture. This was
especially evident on the days following the elections when Raffi
Hovannisian was seeking a “union” of all parties. He was lucky that
his proposals were not accepted by party leaders who left him “alone”.

On the other hand, the civil sphere defined all the issues and
responsibilities on Freedom Square. Raffi was left alone but confusion
and perplexity caused by this state did not last long because he
understood what his strength was.

Sargsyan lost his chance in the 2012 parliamentary elections when he
decided that the “pack” of the oligarchs, ethnic musical instruments
and criminals need to enter the parliament. Serzh Sargsyan was afraid
of staying alone, assuming that power is in the pack, and that strength
gives the right.

256

VISITE CONTESTEE DU PRESIDENT AZERI ALIEV EN CROATIE

La visite officielle du president azeri Ilham Aliev en Croatie
a provoque des manifestations. Des avocats croates ont manifeste
devant son hôtel a Zagreb où Aliev rencontrait son homologue croate
Ivo Josipovic. Ces manifestants protestaient contre le non-respect
des Droits de l’homme en Azerbaïdjan ainsi que les manque de liberte
individuelle des citoyens. Arrive le 10 mars en Croatie, Ilham Aliev
y a rencontre outre le president croate, le president du Parlement,
le Premier ministre ainsi que des hommes d’affaires croates.

Krikor Amirzayan

mercredi 13 mars 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

TZARUKIAN POSE SES CONDITIONS POUR UNE ALLIANCE DE L’OPPOSITION

Gagik Tsarukian du Parti Armenie prospère (BHK) s’est dit pret lundi
a s’associer a des groupes d’opposition de premier plan pour les
prochaines elections municipales a Erevan que si son organisation
joue un rôle central dans une telle alliance.

L’idee d’un large bloc antigouvernementale a ete lancee par l’un de
ces groupes, le Congrès national armenien (HAK), la semaine dernière.

Levon Zurabian, leader du HAK, estime que son parti, le BHK, la FRA et
Zharangutyun (Heritage) de Raffi Hovannisian vont gagner le contrôle
de la municipalite d’Erevan s’ils unissent leurs forces pour les
elections du 5 mai. Une telle victoire serait susceptible d’ouvrir
la voie a un changement de regime dans le pays, a-t-il declare.

Naira Zohrabian, haute responsable du BHK de Tsarukian, qui detient
sièges beaucoup plus de sièges au parlement les 3 trois forces de
l’opposition reunies, soutient le principe de cette proposition. Mais
elle a precise qu'” une eventuelle concretisation devait se construire
autour d’Armenie prospère “. Cela signifie que la tete de liste doit
etre confiee a un membre BHK et que les representants de Tsarukian
y disposent d’une large place, indique-t-elle.

“Naturellement, cette liste doit etre dirigee par un representant de
la BHK. Nous sommes prets a discuter d’autres questions telles que
les proportions possibles des candidats des quatre forces,” a precise
Zohrabian a RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am). Ces proportions devraient refleter
” les realites existantes “, a-t-elle dit.

Le BHK, qui faisait partie du gouvernement de coalition du President
Serge Sarkissian jusqu’en juin dernier, a annonce la semaine dernière
que l’ancien ministre des Affaires etrangères Vartan Oskanian serait
son candidat pour la mairie d’Erevan.

Il n’y a pas eu de reaction immediate aux conditions posees par le
BHK a l’opposition. Zurabian du HAK a declare qu’il les commentera
mercredi.

Les representants du Dashnaktsutyun et de Zharangutyun ont fait montre
de peu d’enthousiasme a l’idee d’une alliance electorale avec le parti
de Tsarukian. Raffi Hovannisian, leader de Zharangutyun, qui etait
le principal candidat de l’opposition dans l’election presidentielle
du 18 fevrier, a declare que les forces de l’opposition devaient se
joindre a sa campagne de manifestations post-electorales qui est en
cours, avant de discuter des elections municipales.

mercredi 13 mars 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

PUTIN AND SARKISIAN MEET IN MOSCOW

Presidents Serzh Sarkisian and Vladimir Putin meet in Russia Tuesday

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Russia’s
“special” relationship with Armenia and hailed his Armenian counterpart
Serzh Sarkisian’s “convincing” victory in last month’s presidential
election during their fresh meeting held near Moscow on Tuesday.

The two men met in Putin’s Novo-Ogaryovo residence for talks that were
expected to clarify the future of Russian-Armenian relations. They
made no public statements or sign any documents after the talks.

Their press offices said last week that they will discuss “development
of integration” processes in the former Soviet Union, an apparent
reference to Armenia’s possible membership in the Customs Union of
Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

They did not mention this issue in statements issued after the talks.

The Kremlin said only that Putin and Sarkisian discussed “pressing
issues of bilateral interaction.” A separate statement by the Armenian
presidential press service said the two leaders talked about ways of
stepping up Russian-Armenian cooperation “in the political, economic
and humanitarian fields.”

The two official sources also publicized Putin’s and Sarkisian’s
opening remarks at the meeting. “I want to again congratulate you on
the convincing [election] victory: more than 60 percent of the vote
is a very good result that testifies to popular trust and enables
you to implement all plans which you made when starting the election
campaign,” Putin told the Armenian leader.

“We have special relations with Armenia,” Putin said. “They know this
well in both Armenia and Russia. It must be said that on the whole
they are developing successfully despite certain difficulties in the
world economy.”

Putin went on to praise a 20 percent rise in Russian-Armenian trade
last year and again emphasized the fact that his country has been
Armenia’s leading foreign investor since the Soviet break-up. “We
have big, promising, good joint investment plans,” he added.

Sarkisian, for his part, said it is only “natural” that he chose
Russia for his first trip abroad after reelection. “Russia is our
strategic partner and ally, and this pretty much says it all,” he said.

Sarkisian thanked Putin for “good progress” in the close
Russian-Armenian military ties which he said has been made since their
last meeting in December. He pointed to recent visits to Armenia by
Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu and top military commander,
General Valery Gerasimov.

“I agree with you in that there is also progress in the economy. Of
course there are issues here but we hope for Russia’s support and
assistance,” Sarkisian added without elaborating.

The meeting continued behind the closed doors.