Author: Kanayan Tamar

PENTAGON GROUNDS F-35 FIGHTERS OVER ENGINE PROBLEM

02:40 23/02/2013

WASHINGTON, February 22 (RIA Novosti) – All flight operations of the
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter planes have been suspended
over an engine problem discovered on one of the aircraft, the US
Department of Defense (DoD) said on Friday.

According to the DoD, a routine engine inspection on Tuesday revealed
a crack on an engine blade of the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine installed
in F-35A aircraft operating at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

“As a precautionary measure, all F-35 flight operations have been
suspended until the investigation is complete,” the DoD said in a
statement on its website.

The suspension involves 17 aircraft undergoing testing and 34 in use
for training in Florida and Arizona, and marks another setback for
the Pentagon’s most troubled and expensive weapons program.

In January, the Pentagon grounded 25 F-35B planes, the Marine Corps
variant with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability, due to
a manufacturing defect on one of the aircraft.

F-35s have been grounded before over electrical system problems.

The F-35 is currently still being tested, but low-rate initial
production is already underway, with full-rate production due to begin
around 2016. The Pentagon wants to procure a total of 2,443 F-35s.

According to the latest Government Accountability Office report,
the F-35’s per unit cost has almost doubled since the inception of
the Joint Strike Fighter program in 2001

ANALYST: DISSEMINATION OF ARMENIAN NEWSPAPER BY TURKISH AIR CARRIER IS AN ILLEGITIMATE AND IRRESPONSIBLE GESTURE

Trend, Azerbaijan
Feb 22 2013

Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 22 / Trend /

Dissemination of an Armenian newspaper by Turkish Airlines to
its passengers is a continuation of the absolutely absurd and
irresponsible gesture from President Gul to Serzh Sargsyan hastily
congratulating him on his re-election to the Armenian presideny,
Trend Expert Council member, Western University professor, political
analyst Fikret Sadikhov said.

“Certain circles in Turkey have decided to go further and demonstrate
that they care about national minorities, particularly Armenians living
in the country, and have begun distributing this newspaper in flight,”
the politician told Trend on Friday.

Turkish Airlines (THY) began distribution of the Agos Armenian daily
newspaper on board of its flight to passengers, Turkish media reported.

If those involved in this action aim to mitigate the situation or
attract some Armenian Diaspora organizations or persuade Armenia to
abandon the 1915 issue or renounce territorial claims against Turkey,
these attempts are futile, the analyst said.

Such methods and steps don’t garner political capital and important
political issues are not solved in this way, he said.

According to Sadikhov, such steps cause great sorrow both in Turkey and
Azerbaijan, Surely, Turkey will not be able to achieve some positive
results by such actions.

“Turkey should not have been so quickly in its recognition of Sargsyan
as president. Officials in Turkey are now talking about forms of public
civility, but it could have been done later and in a different form,
there was no need for a hasty congratulation to the man, whose hands
are stained with the blood of Azerbaijanis, on the eve of the 21st
anniversary of Khojaly events,” the analyst said.

President Abdullah Gul congratulated Serzh Sargsyan on his presidential
reelection.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING OSCE, SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEIR ASSESSMENT OF ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA

Trend, Azerbaijan
Feb 22 2013

Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 22 / Trend, I. Izzet /

International organizations, including the OSCE, that stated that
elections in Armenia were held in accordance with international
standards, should be ashamed. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister,
Chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs Ali Hasanov
at an event at the Turkish Embassy in Azerbaijan, commemorating the
Khojaly genocide, held on Friday.

“They have been deceiving us for 20 years. What kind of statement is
this: “Nothing happened! The elections went well”? “Is that really
true?” Hasanov said.

The Committee Chairman reminded that according to the CEC of Armenia,
there are allegedly 2.5 million voters in the country.

“Throughout the world, the number of people entitled to vote
constitutes 50-54 per cent of the total population. In that case,
Armenia has 2.5 million voters? OSCE is busy making good-sounding
statements. The U.S. State Department has also supported the
statement,” Hasanov said.

Presidential elections were held in Armenia on Feb.18. Incumbent
President Serzh Sargsyan won the presidential elections with 58.64
per cent of the vote. The First Foreign Minister of Armenia Raffi
Hovannisian ranked second winning 36.75 per cent, while former Prime
Minister Hrant Bagratyan ranked third after receiving 2.15 per cent
of the vote.

NEW TRIAL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM NIXED

Courthouse News
Feb 22 2013

By MATT REYNOLDS

(CN) – The protracted dispute over an Armenian Genocide museum and
memorial project that never got off the ground should not face a new
trial, a federal judge ruled.

The consolidated complaint had pitted the Armenian Assembly of America
and the Armenian Genocide Museum & Memorial against two former board
members, Gerard Cafesjian and John Waters, and the Cafesjian Family
Foundation.

Their struggle for control of the museum, and allegations over its
demise, stemmed from rising tensions between Cafesjian and Hirair
Hovnanian, both of whom collaborated on the project in the late 1990s.

“The parties, through the three consolidated actions pending before the
court, have spent as much if not more time litigating who is to blame
for the museum’s failure as they spent attempting to make the museum
a reality,” U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote Wednesday.

Cafesjian, a founding member of the museum’s board of trustees, helped
purchase the museum site, a vacant National Bank building at 14th and G
Street in downtown Washington, D.C. He stepped back, however, after the
board later failed to reach consensus on how to complete the museum.

The Brooklyn-born philanthropist handpicked Waters, his right-hand
man, to succeed him, but the board excluded Waters from further
participation in the project after Cafesjian sued the assembly for
payment of an unpaid promissory note.

Kollar-Kotelly largely dismissed the series of claims and counterclaims
after a 12-day bench trial in November 2010.

In that January 2011 final judgment, Kollar-Kotelly found that
neither Cafesijan nor Waters had breached their fiduciary duties to
the assembly. She also cleared Cafesijian of bad faith claims and
said neither he nor Waters had misappropriated the trade secrets of
the assembly.

Nearly a year later, the assembly and the museum moved for a new trial
based on the alleged perjury of Waters. They said Waters had never
mentioned that Cafesjian agreed to award him a bonus and reimburse
his expenses if Cafesjian prevailed in the litigation.

The motion relied on claims and counterclaims pending before a federal
judge in Minnesota where Waters sued Cafesjian for more than $4.3
million in deferred compensation, $1.2 million in bonuses and more
than $500,000 in legal costs.

Cafesjian countered that Waters had embezzled several million dollars
from him over a period spanning more than a decade.

Refusing to order a new trial in Washington this week, Judge
Kollar-Kotelly said the assembly had a “full and fair opportunity to
present their case during the bench trial.”

“The plaintiffs fail to show by clear and convincing evidence that
Waters committed perjury or otherwise committed fraud or misconduct
by not disclosing the compensation purportedly owed and/or promised
by Cafesjian,” the 33-page opinion states. “The court did not rely
on Waters’ credibility in rejecting the plaintiffs’ claims at trial,
meaning the plaintiffs cannot show actual prejudice from any alleged
perjury or other misconduct by Waters,” wrote Kollar-Kotelly.

“The plaintiffs fail to show by clear and convincing evidence that
Cafesjian actually promised Waters the litigation bonus, and in
any case the existence of the agreement would not alter the legal
conclusion that the defendants did not breach any duty by filing the
initial suit in this litigation.”

In Minnesota, Waters alleged that Cafesijan had destroyed documents
from Waters’ former office at Cafesijan’s GLC Enterprises.

Though the assembly claimed “without elaboration” that the allegations
directly impacted the trial, it failed “to show by clear and convincing
evidence that the defendants destroyed documents relevant to this
litigation or otherwise engaged in discovery misconduct sufficient
to set aside the final judgment,” Kollar-Kotelly wrote.

By some estimates 1.5 million minority Armenians were killed by the
Ottoman government during and after World War I. Regarded by some as
the first genocide of modern times, male Armenians were slaughtered
in what is now the Republic of Turkey, while women, children, the
elderly and sick were deported or forced on “death marches” through
the Syrian Desert.

HOVANNISIAN VOWS TO CONTINUE POPULAR MOVEMENT

Friday, February 22nd, 2013

by Ara Khachatourian

Thousands gather at Liberty Square Friday at a rally, which has
grown into a popular movement (photo by Khatchig Mouradian, The
Armenian Weekly)

ARF Joins the Movement

YEREVAN-“This popular struggle will not die down. We will achieve
victory,” said opposition presidential candidate Raffi Hovannisian
on Firday as he addressed thousands of supporters who had gathered
at Liberty Square to hear a briefing on his meeting Thursday with
Serzh Sarkisian at the Presidential Palace.

Hovannisian, who addressed the crowd that has been multiplying
exponentially since Monday’s elections, reported that Sarkisian
rejected all of his proposals, which aimed to satisfy the aspirations
of Armenia’s citizens following the presidential polls.

Raffi Hovannisian beriefs protesters on his meeting with Serzh
Sarkisian Thursday (photo by Khatchig Mouradian, The Armenian Weekly)

Hovannisian said that among the points discussed with Sarkisian was
holding of repeat elections, the response to which was a “No.” He
then proposed snap parliamentary elections based on a representative
system. “What do you think was the answer? No,” said Hovannisian.

“I have nothing to say to these de facto leaders anymore,” added
Hovannisian, who announced that he would be expanding this movement
to regions outside of Yerevan with rallies in Vanadzor, Gyumri and
elsewhere. He asked the people to reconvene at Liberty Square at 3
p.m. Sunday to further the movement.

ARF Joins the Movement The Armenian Revolutionary Federation joined
the thousands upon thousands of Armenian citizens gathered at
Freedom Square Friday, with the party’s Supreme Council of Armenia
representative Armen Rustamian delivering a powerful message of
solidarity with the people.

After a series of speeches by Raffi Hovannisian’s Heritage Party
leaders, other opposition leaders, civil society activists, and
artists, Hovannisian introduced Rustamian, saying: “Today we are
joined by a political figure whose party, our party, the party of
my ancestors, in the name of the fatherland, unity, our national
interests, the rights of the citizen, and our state’s sovereignty,
wages a struggle wherever it is necessary, from Strasbourg to Ankara
to Moscow to Washington…. Please welcome the representative of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Armen Rustamyan.”

ARF Supreme Council representative Armen Rustamian says the “Movement
is unstoppable” (photo by Khatchig Mouradian, The Armenian Weekly)

Rustamian first spoke of the ARF decision to come to Freedom Square.

“For a few days now, Freedom Square was waiting for-and wanted to
see-the ARF. And we are now here! We have come here, to this rally,
because as we announced earlier, the ARF stands with you, with the
people,” he said.

Rustamian noted that the Armenian people proved on Feb. 18 that
it’s impossible to kill justice and freedom. He said, “The people
does not tolerate the rotten political, social, economic, and moral
environment.”

Rustamian joined other opposition leaders at the rally in their
criticism of the statements of international observers, who deemed the
elections fair. “Regardless of what the international observers say,
it is you who took part in the election, and you know all too well
what really happened,” Rustamian said.

“This is an unstoppable movement to establish the rule of the people,”
argued Rustamian.

PASHINYAN SHOWS WAYS TO OVERTHROW AUTHORITIES

07:13 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

The two political poles that formed after the February 18 presidential
election in Armenia are led by Serzh Sargsyan, who forcibly seized
power, and by people headed by Raffi Hovannisian, Nikol Pashinyan, a
lawmaker of the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) announced
at Liberty Square.

Each of these two poles today has wins and defeats, success and
failure, he stressed.

Serge’s success is that it still remains in power. His main failure
is that he could not receive the legitimacy he had craved for and
could not close the chapter of the March 2008 tragic events. People
were de facto able to elect a legitimate president in the person of
Raffi Hovannisian however, people have been unable to de jure confirm
their victory,” said Pashinyan.

Ffurther, he said that it was Raffi Hovannisian who received Serzh
Sargsyan in his office [presidential residence] on Thursday and not
the opposite.

“If either of the sides takes sweeping steps, he will lose. We have
a minimum program; we should not lose. First, we should not allow
the bandits to take any enforcement action against people. We cannot
reach any agreement with the criminal regime. We cannot in any way
recognize Serzh Sargsyan as President of Armenia,” said the HAK MP.

ARF’S ARMEN RUSTAMIAN: ‘THE ARF STANDS WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE NAME OF A FREE AND DEMOCRATIC ARMENIA’

19:02, February 22, 2013

Armen Rustamian, a member of the ARF Supreme Council, told the
thousands gathered in Freedom Square that they had overcome their
fears and were capable of achieving anything they so desired.

“For the past few days, the crowds at Freedom Square were waiting for,
had wanted to see the ARF. We are now here with you. As we declared,
the ARF stands with the people,” Rustamian told the crowds who
applauded in response.

Rustamian said that the people proved on February 18 that they had
enough of the stifling status-quo and that their struggle for change
could not be squashed any longer.

“On February 18 you proved that the citizens of Armenia are worthy of
a better life and government. This was an uprising against injustice,
hopelessness and the exodus,” Rustamian declared.

He argued that the people knew better than anyone else what transpired
on February 18, despite the evaluations to the contrary of various
international organizations and observers.

“Those who don’t see or comprehend what took place merely deride our
people. Sadly, this is exactly what the authorities in Armenia are
doing today,” Rustamian said.

The ARF leader described the rally as the first step down a long and
difficult road that would eventually return power to the people.

“If we remain united and determined and ready to struggle, that victory
will not be long in coming. Our people glimpsed a ray of hope in this
election and Raffi embodies that hope.” Rustamian said

He said that Hovannisian had met with the ARF leadership and that
they has supported following the legal, constitutional road towards
achieving tangible results.

“The ARF is an independent and responsible party. We have our political
agenda. This movement is being waged in the name of each and every
citizen of Armenia – for the future of Armenia, for Artsakh and for
the consolidation of all Armenia forces. We see no internal enemy.

Our wish is to see a free, just, democratic and strong Armenia.”

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER LEAVES FOR AUSTRIA

NEWS.AM
February 22, 2013 | 19:07

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian will visit
Austria on February 25-27.

The press service of the Foreign Ministry informs that Armenian
Foreign Minister will participate in the United Nations Alliance of
Civilizations Forum to be held in Vienna and will deliver a speech.

During his visit, Nalbandian will meet with Deputy Prime Minister of
Austria and Federal Minister for European and International Affairs,
OSCE Secretary General and other officials.

OUR ROOF IS INTERIOR MINISTER AND HEAD OF PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION OF AZERBAIJAN

18:23 22/02/2013 ” SOCIETY

A new scandalous video material has been spread in Azerbaijan published
by Elshad Abdullayev, the former rector of the International University
of Azerbaijan. As the Azerbaijani “Turan” news agency reported, on
the video with duration of half and an hour, taken by a candid camera,
the discussion of Elshad Abdullaev with Rasim Ildrimzade, the Deputy
Police Chief of Baku Airport is recorded. Rasim Ildrimzade is the
close relative of the Interior Minister Ramil Usubov and Prosecutor
of Khatai district of Baku Yousif Ildrimzade.

Elshad Abdullayev discusses with this police colonel the redemption
terms of the rector’s brother Mahir Abdullayev, who was kidnapped on
13 October 2003 by a group of people. Ildrimzade promises to Elshad
Abdullayev to return his brother for $ 1 million. In the same time,
he says that Mahir is kept outside of Azerbaijan, but close to the
border. Besides that Rasim Ildrimzade assures Elshad Abdullayev that
Mahir is kept in good conditions. During the conversation he denies
that the rector’s brother has been kidnapped by criminal groupings.

Rasim Ildrimzade assures that Mahir has been kidnapped not by ordinary
criminals but by bandits “within the government.” However, he does
not speak about the motives of the kidnappers, and declares that
“Mahir will tell everything.”

Rasim Ildrimzade categorically warns Elshad Abdullayev for the latter
not to hold talks with anyone else for releasing his brother and
advised him to “sent” to hell all those who come to him with such
proposals. Rasim Ildrimzade confidently guarantees Mahir Abdullayev’s
release mentioning about his influential ties. “Our roof is the
Interior Minister and head of the presidential administration,”
he said.

Referring to the latest video, which was spread by Elshad Abdullayev,
Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo writes, that compared with other video
recordings the intellectual level of this conversation is much higher
than the one with clarification of relations between Elshad Abdullayev
and Gular Ahmedova. During this conversation, they hardly use slang
expressions that are inherent for criminal-underworld. “We are pleased
with the fact that our senior officers have seen even Ishtoyan.” For
jingoists: I do not advertise any Armenian thing. This is an episode
from the famous movie “Mimino”. Shortly, unlike Gular Ahmedova,
Rasim Ildrimzade is apparently not a “lord of the underworld”. But
let’s put a dot on this positive thought,” writes the author.

The article also says that Ildrimzade is not entirely contiguous in
conversation with Abdullayev. On the one hand, he says that M.

Abdullayev alive is alive, and is free to move from place to place,
and it seems even that he is in recluse by his own will as he has
to be far from the public eye. But on the other hand, answering the
questions of Elshad Abdullayev he confesses that the kidnappers do
not allow M. Abdullayev to get in touch with his relatives.

Ildrymzade commented on this video, after its publication, and
stated that that Elshad Abdullayev blackmails him by spreading the
records, as the former rector is a criminal himself who has illegally
appropriated funds of many people and many are left without a diploma,
the author writes, “I am more than confident that Elshad Abdullayev
led his business by not entirely legal means. It is hardly possible
to act in another way in Azerbaijan.”

Late in September 2011 a video was spread in the Internet where
the former rector of International University of Azerbaijan Elshad
Abdullayev was bargaining with Azerbaijani MP Gular Ahmedova about the
amount of the bribe which the rector was to pay to be “elected” as MP.

After the video was covered in the Internet a criminal case on “fraud”
was opened. Guler Ahmadova appealed to Parliament to rescind her
mandate, and on October 3, CEC recognized her mandate invalid.

Abdullayev said that he applied to various state bodies of Azerbaijan
in connection with the abduction of his brother. He also noted that he
had met with the head of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration
Ramiz Mehdiyev and had discussed with him a number of questions.

Mehdiyev declared Abdullayev’s all statements “libel”, but he did
not deny the fact that the meeting had taken place.

Source: Panorama.am

Global Insight
February 22, 2013

Armenian inflation slips back to 2.6% in January

BYLINE: Lilit Gevorgyan

Consumer price inflation rate fell back to 2.6% in January from 3.2%
in December 2012, according to the latest inflation release from
Armenian National Statistics Service. Having dipped to the near five
year low of 0.1% in April 2006 inflation climbed steadily to 2012 peak
of 3.6% in November 2012 on the back of a sharper rise in consumer
goods and food prices. However, inflation has fallen back since
November with the latest breakdown of the overall consumer price index
revealing a continued deceleration in the year-on-year (y/y) change
food prices from 3.8% in November to 1.6% by January is a key factor
in the inflation rate falling back. With regards to high street prices
the consumer good price inflation declined by 1 percentage point to
2.7% in January, the lowest rate since August 2012. On the flipside,
the y/y change in the average price of services and alcoholic
beverages rose marginally 2.2% and 4.7% respectively.

Significance:Although lower than expected in January, we still expect
the inflation to trend up during the course of 2013, and is projected
to average 4.4% in the year as a whole. One factor could be a stronger
inflationary push from food prices which recorded lower than normal
rises during in 2012 as a result of the country enjoying exceptionally
good harvests. Also, domestic energy prices are likely to increase in
2013 despite the authorities suggesting to households that they will
remain stable throughout 2013 in order to calm voters before the just
concluded general election. However, based on the experience of
previous election cycles in Armenia, energy and food prices are likely
to increase in the wake of the vote. In addition, higher inflationary
pressures are also likely to result from stronger growth in domestic
spending which is set to expand by 3.5% in 2013 compared up to a 2.4%
gain in 2012. This could allow retailers, service providers and firms
to pursue a more aggressive pricing policy, elevating consumer goods
inflation. Furthermore, the labour market is relatively healthy with
the unemployment rate projected to remain at 6.4% which suggests
limited surplus employment to meet the anticipated sharper rise in
output. This is suggests that wage growth could pick up with firms
more confident about being able to pass on the higher labour costs to
the consumer. Despite increasing price pressures, we remain confident
that the inflation rate will remain within target range of 4%+/- 1.5
percentage points by the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) in 2013, but
could spill over in 2014 as economic growth gathers further momentum.
Thus, we believe that there will be little reason for the CBA to
revise its policy interest rate soon, but they could come under
increasing pressure to tighten towards the end of 2013 as becomes
apparent that the inflation rate is set to breach the target range in
2014. The refinancing rate ended 2012 at 8%, having remained unchanged
throughout the year.