Author: Kanayan Tamar

SHOOTING IN THE CAFE

Factinfo
Thu, 01/24/2013 – 19:19

On January 23, at 23.10 on the Abovyan street the officers of the
Police General Criminal Investigation Department and Central Department
detained for hooliganism VaghinakGh, 1977, Arman H., 1973, Gevorg E.,
1990, Arthur M.,1978. Mushegh A. 1977, Armen H, 1982, Michael M. 1985,
ArmenGh. 1975, Hrachia I., 1981, Arthur A., 1977, Vahram H, 1976,
Artyom I, 1984 and Garry M,1977.

A private search in the police office revealed “Makarov” pistol
loaded with 9mm caliber 6 bullets on Garry M. and gas pistol “Auto C5”
with 4 bullets on Arthur A.

At the scene the operative group found that on the same day, at 22.30
2 shoots were made from the pistol that was found on Garry M.

The search of the scene revealed 1 shell. The pistol and the shell
are sent to expertize.

Garry M. is arrested.

A criminal case has been charged with Article 235.1 and Article 258
of RA Criminal Code.

The investigation is in process.

Author:

YEREVAN: AZERBAIJAN WILL FAIL TO ISOLATE NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Thursday, January 24, 19:06

Azerbaijan is trying to isolate Nagorno-Karabakh, but he will fail
to, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said at a press
conference when commenting on Azerbaijan’s approving new rules of
using the air space of the country, which permit shooting down all
the aircrafts flying over the republic’s space without notifying
the air forces of Azerbaijan. Experts qualify the given decision as
Azerbaijan’s legalization of possible attacks on aircrafts flying
to Nagorno-Karabakh and back in case the airport of Stepanakert
is launched.

In particular, Nalbandian said: “Azerbaijan is trying to make a
fuss around opening of the Stepanakert airport and to politicize
this issue. In the meantime, the OSCE Minsk Group has repeatedly
urged the parties not to do that. As for us, we are not going to
politicize this issue”. The minister recalled that Baku has repeatedly
promised to the Minsk Group co-chairs not to use any force against
the civil aircrafts; however, it is trying to retract its promises
by its constant threats. Nalbandian once again expressed Armenia’s
position saying that Armenia considers the launch of Stepanakert
airport exclusively in the humanitarian aspect and does not link this
issue to the Karabakh peace process.

To note, Azerbaijan’s Cabinet on Jan 18 issued document on use of
airspace, which allows official Baku to shoot down civilian aircraft
deemed to violate Azeri airspace. The document, the use of which is
obviously intended to thwart plans to open the airport in Stepanakert,
allow the government of Azerbaijan to declare certain areas “banned
zones and limited zones,” hence allowing the government to randomly
shoot down aircraft it deems in violation of Azeri airspace.”If
the aircraft does not obey orders to land and there is no exact
information about innocent passengers onboard, the legislation permits
the government to shoot down the aircraft,” reported APA. Experts
and Mass Media report that the given decision of the Azerbaijan
Government applies first of all to the Stepanakert Airport. In
addition, Azerbaijani sources received the statement by Arif Mammadov,
Head of the State Department of Civil Aviation of Azerbaijan, saying
that yet during construction of the Stepanakert Airport they tried to
take preventive measures and sent a letter to the ICAO. “We informed
that the airspace of Nagorno Karabakh is closed and in line with the
Law On Civil Aviation we plan to hit the planes entering that space
and trying to land on that territory,” Mammadov said.

Earlier the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs made the following
statement: “Regarding reports of the planned opening of an airport
in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Co-Chairs received renewed assurances from
the sides that they will reject any threat or use of force against
civil aircraft, pursue the matter through diplomatic steps, and
refrain from politicizing the issue. The Co-Chairs reaffirmed that
operation of this airport cannot be used to support any claim of
a change in the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, and urged the sides to
act in accordance with international law and consistent with current
practice for flights over their territory”.

EXHIBITIONS ON ARMENIAN-GREEK FRIENDSHIP TO BE HELD IN GREECE

20:14, 24 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 24, ARMENPRESS: Armenian-Greek research center,
sponsored by Armenian Embassy in Greece, has preplanned to hold
a number of cultural events in 2013 dedicated to Armenian-Greek
friendship. As Armenpress has been informed from press service of
Armenian MFA, lectures, exhibitions and theatrical performances on
Armenian-Greek relations are scheduled.

First event of list already took place on January 21 in the hall of
Greek National Library titled “Smile and tear. Armenia in the Greek
satirical press”.

ARMENIAN CITIZEN SERVING LIFE TERM IN KIEV APPLIES TO HRD

Aysor.am
January 24, 2013

The lawyer of an Armenian citizen, who is serving a life term in
Kiev, Ukraine, applied to the Human Rights Defender of Armenia
for help, informing him that his client was brutally beaten in an
investigatory isolation ward of the city of Kiev by employees of
a special detachment, according to information on Facebook page
of HRD.In this connection the lawyer has filed applications to the
Ombudswoman and the appropriate competent bodies of Ukraine.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia has asked Ukrainian Ombudswoman
Valeria Lutkovskaya to inform him about the steps to ensure the
Armenian citizen’s safety.

In response to the letter of HRD, Ukrainian Ombudswoman said that a
case was opened in connection of the Armenian citizen’s beating in the
isolation ward and that HRD will be informed about the final results.

TODAY, 20:14

A NEW ARMENIAN PATRIARCH IN JERUSALEM: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

As many church leaders, organizations and individuals have learnt
already, Archbishop Nourhan Manoogian was elected earlier today
(24 January 2013) as the 97th patriarch of the Armenian Church in
the Holy Land (Jordan, Israel and Palestine).

The Grand Sacristan (or Lousararabed in Armenian) of the Church
for many years, Archbishop Nourhan succeeds the late Torkom II who
established a name for himself as a cautious reformer and an ecumenical
leader and who also helped mentor my own Oslo-led political years in
Jerusalem well over a decade ago.

Armenians are a tiny community, and are part of an ever-shrinking
Christian presence across the Holy Land let alone the whole Middle
East and North Africa (MENA) region. Yet they are by no means an
insular community that ghettoises itself in its own Armenian Quarter
in Jerusalem. Rather, they are a vibrant part of a much larger and
more diverse society and can be found in Jerusalem and Bethlehem just
as they can be found in Ramallah, Amman and Haifa too.

The patriarch-elect will not only be the shepherd of his own community
and the steward of its rights – in themselves onerous responsibilities
– but the Armenian Church is also one of the three churches that
oversee the Status Quo arrangements in Jerusalem that date back to
Ottoman times as they affect the religious shrines of this biblical
land – and most notably the Church of the Resurrection (or Holy
Sepulchre) in Jerusalem and the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

It often seems bizarre for many Western minds that Armenians place
such hullabaloo on the election of their church hierarchs. I agree
that it goes against the grain somewhat, and more so from our own
Western perspective where God and Caesar are kept deliberately – and
at times constitutionally – apart. Perhaps we interpret the prophetic
fire of our faith differently.

However, the Middle East and North Africa region also enjoys a
rich but somewhat different culture whereby each community still
looks generally at its religious leaders for guidance and support –
no more so than in those difficult moments facing the whole region
where mounting violence and discrimination or economic hardships are
together challenging the quest for dignity and citizenry.

So even though this ‘coming round’ a church leader is gradually
diminishing in this part of the world too, I believe that it is
still part of the intuitive and cultural genes of its inhabitants
and one of the prisms that many Christians, Muslims and Jews use in
their daily interplay with each other and with their neighbours –
consciously or perhaps even unconsciously.

In the past year, the Middle East and North Africa region has witnessed
the election of new patriarchs for the Maronite Catholic, Coptic
Orthodox and Antiochian Greek Orthodox Churches. Now Armenians in the
Holy Land have a new leader too – a man who is full of vim, conviction
and wit and who is manifestly unafraid to meet the challenges of the
day. No doubt he will need all those traits as he faces the daunting
challenges of office at a time of uncertainty, concern and even fear.

This is not a day for prolix reflections or over-the-top statements.

So I simply join the Members of the St James Brotherhood who elected
the new patriarch, many other Armenians from Israel, Palestine
and Jordan and elsewhere as well as ecumenical leaders or friends
worldwide in praying for the patriarch-elect. May his ministry be
undergirded let alone enriched by the three fundaments of faith,
love and hope. And given our history, we Armenians also cannot ignore
the age-long maxim that ‘Unity applies for essentials, Liberty for
doubtful matters and Charity for all things’.

Serpazan hayr, shnorhavor ella ays or-e mer polorin – may this day
be a blessed and joyous day for us all.

————

© Harry Hagopian is an international lawyer, ecumenist and EU
political consultant. He also acts as a Middle East and inter-faith
advisor to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales
and as Middle East consultant to ACEP (Christians in Politics)
in Paris. He is an Ekklesia associate and regular contributor
(). Formerly an Executive
Secretary of the Jerusalem Inter-Church Committee and Executive
Director of the Middle East Council of Churches, he is now an
international fellow, Sorbonne III University, Paris, consultant to
the Campaign for Recognition of the Armenian Genocide (UK), Ecumenical
consultant to the Primate of Armenian Church in UK & Ireland, and
author of The Armenian Church in the Holy Land. Dr Hagopian’s own
website is Follow him on Twitter here: @harryhagopian

REPREHENSIBILITY FOR INCIDENTS FALLS ON AZERBAIJAN – ARMENIAN FM

NEWS.AM
January 24, 2013 | 16:41

YEREVAN.- By rejecting initiative on creation of mechanisms to
investigate the incidents across the line of contact in Karabakh
conflict zone, Azerbaijan takes on responsibility for them.

The lack of progress in talks is conditioned by Azerbaijan’s
non-constructive stance, Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian told reporters
on Thursday.

Nevertheless, Armenian FM noted there is no alternative to peace talks
and the country is committed to peaceful resolution of the conflict.

“The peace process continues within the framework of the OSCE Minsk
Group. The statements made by the Minsk Group are fully in compliance
with Armenia’s position,” he added.

He underscored integrity of the principles — a package of principles
none of which can be prioritized.

PARUYR HAYRIKYAN: WE DON’T NEED A HEAD OF STATE
Hasmik Dilanyan

“Radiolur”
16:53 24.01.2013

Leader of the National Self-Determination Union, presidential candidate
Paruyr Hayrikyan wants to be elected President for 2.5 years. After
that he will annul the post, but will continue to work.

“We don’t need a Head of State,” he says, especially a state official,
who is the guarantor of RA independence and the Constitutional order.

“One person cannot become the guarantor of the security, constitutional
order, democracy and human rights of a whole nation.

All this should be guaranteed by the state system, and the Constitution
protected by all state institutions and citizens,” Hayrikyan said.

The system of ideal democracy Paruyr Hayrikyan suggestible is
not new to the political circles of Armenia. Under the program,
elections should become more frequent, the parliament must be more
representative.

Paruyr Hayrikyan says that under his presidency the Head of Government
– the Prime Minister – will also be elected by people for a period
of 2-3 years.

Also, the leader of the National Self-Determination Union envisages
constitutional amendments, which he will present in the near future.

YEREVAN COURT SLAPS 3 MILLION AMD FREEZE ON NEWSPAPER’S PROPERTY

16:32, January 24, 2013

The Zhoghovourd newspaper in Yerevan says it received a court notice
freezing 3 million AMD worth of its property.

The daily says the freeze stems from a January 19 slander suit filed
by Yeevan Poultry Factory owner Khachik Khachatryan.

Khachatryan is arguing that the paper smeared his good name and the
reputation of the factory in a September 9, 2012 article claiming
that the RA Ministry of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspectorate had
fined the company for selling eggs past their due date.

The article also claims that the company told its drivers to deliver
the eggs during the night so as not to cause a problem.

The article continues: “We talked to Khachatryan to find out what
was going on. ‘Are you trying to provoke me? You have incorrect
information. There is no such problem. I am going to Leninakan tomorrow
to sell the eggs. You can come with me.'”

The newspaper says the freeze might prevent its continued operation.

PACE: NO POLITICAL PRISONERS IN AZERBAIJAN

03:49 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted on
Wednesday evening to reject a draft resolution on “the follow-up to the
issue of political prisoners in Azerbaijan”, presented by Christoph
Strässer (Germany, SOC) on behalf of the Committee on Legal Affairs
and Human Rights.

PACE also encouraged the authorities of Azerbaijan “to step up their
efforts to implement the legislation in the areas crucial for the
proper functioning of democratic institutions” and, against this
background, decided to continue the monitoring of the country’s
obligations and commitments.

The Armenian delegation finds the decision of the Strasbourg-based
structure to be the result of Azerbaijani lobby.

“First, the decision shows Azerbaijan’s complete victory over
democracy. Second, it proves that PACE is downgrading – something
that I have been repeating in the last two years,” David Harutyunyan,
Head of the Armenian delegation to PACE, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service
(Azatutyun.am).

PACE DEPUTY PREVENTED FROM BEING PHOTOGRAPHED IN BAKU

Source: Panorama.am
10:37 24/01/2013 ” COMMENTS

Debates of the reports on Azerbaijan in PACE on January 23 were an
opportunity for Swedish MP Ms Marietta de Pourbaix-Lundin to tell
about what once happened to her in Baku.

“When I was visiting Baku, police officers approached me as I was
being photographed near the hotel, asked why I was being photographed
and tried to take my camera from me. They left me alone only when I
showed my diplomatic passport. But they could have arrested me for
being photographed. This is the picture of the situation in that
country,” a Panorama.am reporter quoted her as saying.

So, the Swedish MP said, the report on Azerbaijan says nothing strange:
journalists and photographers are arrested, freedom of speech is
unprotected.

“This country’s authorities lack the political will to fulfill their
commitments towards the Council of Europe, commitments they should
have fulfilled as soon as they joined the Council of Europe,” said
Ms Marietta de Pourbaix-Lundin.

Another MP, Lukas Reimann (Switzerland), criticized Ilham Aliyev’s
government. According to him, during the World Economic Forum in Davos,
the Azerbaijani authorities bought large areas for advertisement,
which read: “Azerbaijan is a country of future.”

According to the Swiss MP, this advertisement is strange in the
context of the reports on Azerbaijan.

“While it would be accepted as positive if the authorities of this
country stopped political persecutions. Azerbaijan should have
solved this issue and only then called itself a country of future,”
Mr Reimann concluded.