Author: Kanayan Tamar

EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER PROPOSES TO REPLACE ARMENIA-EU ACTION PLAN WITH ASSOCIATION AGENDA

news.am
September 27, 2012 | 16:21

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Premier Tigran Sargsyan received a delegation
led by tefan Fule, the European Commissioner for Enlargement and
European Neighbourhood Policy.

“We are convinced that your visit to Armenia will give new impetus to
our bilateral cooperation,” Sargsyan said. He noted that one of the
country’s priority objectives is to sign the Deep and Comprehensive
Free Trade Agreement, the Government press service informs.

Recording the Armenian government’s reforms in the country, tefan
Fule, in his turn, underscored the effective continuity of these
efforts. “We will continue to effectively assist you so that the
reforms’ potential may be high,” Fule added.

European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy
noted that EU’s financial assistance to Armenia will continue on the
principle of “more for more.” At the same time Å tefan Fule proposed
to replace the Armenia-EU Action Plan with the Association agenda.

The interlocutors also reflected on the holding of the donors’
conference.

In addition, the parties discussed the Ramil Safarov case.

Specifically, the PM noted that the European community’s assessments
in this regard need to be clear. Sargsyan drew Fule’s attention
to Azerbaijan’s militaristic policies. In Tigran Sargsyan’s words,
EU must clearly stress that it does not tolerate the use of force,
otherwise, it will impose international sanctions against the violator
of this precept.

Following the meeting, Armenia and the European Commission signed
two financial agreements, whereby Armenia will be allocated a total
of â~B¬43-million assistance. The documents were signed by Tigran
Sargsyan and Å tefan Fule.

JAVAKHK ARMENIAN STUDENTS TO STAGE YEREVAN PROTEST

HETQ
12:38, September 27, 2012

Armenian citizens of Georgia now studying at Yerevan institutions
of higher learning will stage a demonstration opposite the Georgian
Embassy in the Armenian capital on September 29.

The students say they will protest human rights violations in
Samtskhe-Javakhk and the ongoing neglect of the Georgian authorities
when it comes to improving the economic and educational situation in
the Armenian populated district.

The Georgian-Armenians state that many are leaving the province due
to the depressed socio-economic state of affairs.

THE ART OF THE ARMS DEAL

EurasiaNet.org
Sept 27 2012
NY

Photographer Mari Bastashevski has started an ambitious new
investigative project, “State Business,” which she calls “an art
project about the conflict arms trade.” And her first subject
is a series of arms shipments which appeared to be headed for
Nagorno-Karabakh:

In the spring of 2010 the arms tracking community had picked up on
a number of suspicious flights headed for Armenia, 39 in total. The
flights continued at even intervals well into February 2011. All
of them were Ilyushin IL-76s. The planes left Podgorica [Montenegro]
airport for Armenia’s ‘Erebuni’ military airport. It was estimated that
the arms were intended for the troubled Nagorno-Karabakh region, which
saw a wave of border incidents and heightened tensions at the time.

The flights didn’t simply tip-toe past the guards in the middle of the
night. Because… well- not Hollywood. There was obviously a ton of
paperwork to get these off the ground. Although airports and aviation
authorities keep copies of flight documentation for a period of time,
in Montenegro (not exceptionally) such documentation is rather well
hidden under the umbrella of “National Security,” which is evoked
each time secrecy is convenient.

The only employee at Podgorica airport willing to speak about the
flights on record, was one of the younger flight controllers. Over the
span of a cigarette break he confirmed that the Illyushins were bound
for Armenia, and were registered with V-Bird and Air Highnesses. (The
two flight companies whose activities spread far beyond Balkans and
Caucasus -something I’ll return to at a later stage) He remembered
an incident on July 21st, 2010, when one the IL-76s failed to take
off because of engine trouble. We agreed to meet again to discuss the
flights in more detail, but he never made it to the meeting. Later,
when he called to apologize, he appeared to be on a surprise holiday
in Spain and could no longer recall anything.

This kind of reporting takes a ton of legwork, with so many blind
alleys, so kudos to anyone doing it. And it’s going to be a real treat
to have the striking photos to go along with the investigation. Follow
along.

TEFAN FULE: “I RESPECT YOUR ANGER CAUSED BY RAMIL SAFAROV’S PARDONING”

Mediamax
Sept 27 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European
Neighborhood Policy Å tefan Fule said in Yerevan today that he
respects the feelings and the anger of the Armenian people caused by
“Azerbaijan’s pardoning and glorification of murderer Ramil Safarov.”

tefan Fule said this in Yerevan today at a workshop dedicated to
public society, Mediamax reports.

“I would like to express my deep concern over this issue. I respect
your perception of the issue and understand your feelings. However,
at the same times I urge you to be reserved in your statements and
feelings,” said tefan Fule.

He pointed out that the goal of his visit is not to go deep into
this issue. “The Council of Europe and many other organizations have
expressed their opinion on this issue and all the opinions are based
on European values,” he said.

According to EU Commissioner, no matter how painful this issue is,
it can distract the peace process from its main goal. “Our main goal
is to work for peace and stability,” he concluded.

ARMENIA HAD NO AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY BEFORE RAMIL SAFAROV TRANSFERRED – OPPOSITION REP

tert.am
27.09.12

At a discussion of the 2011 budget report in Armenia’s Parliament on
Thursday, Nikol Pashinyan, an MP of the opposition Armenian National
Congress (ANC), asked Armenian Deputy FM Shavarsh Kocharyan if Armenia
had an ambassador to Hungary last year after the ex-ambassador Ashot
Hovakimyan was appointed Armenia’s Deputy FM.

In response, referring to diplomatic procedures, Sh. Kocharyan said
that Armenia’s Ambassador to Vienna Arman Kirakosyan was appointed
ambassador with concurrent accreditation to Hungary. However, before
he presented his credentials to the Hungarian government, Hungary
transferred the Azeri officer Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan.

Although Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denies, Turkish mass
media report on Armenian-Turkish meetings in Switzerland, Pashinyan
said.

In response, Mr Sh. Kocharyan stated that Armenia’s foreign office
absolutely refutes such meetings. “But our press goes on referring
Turkish media, realizing they are thus helping Turkey,” Sh. Kocharyan
said.

Following the Parliament’s meeting, Nikol Pashinyan held a meeting
with journalists.

“I found out that Armenia has not had an ambassador to Hungary since
last year – even before Ramil Safarov was transferred to Azerbaijan,”
he said.

“Aware of Azerbaijan’s all-out efforts to get Ramil Safarov
transferred, Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs failed to have an
ambassador to Hungary from last October to this August, when he was
actually transferred,” Pashinyan said.

ARTSAKH SENDS FOODSTUFFS TO ARMENIANS IN SYRIA

hetq
16:54, September 27, 2012

An Artsakh program called “Help Your Brother” has sent the first
shipment of foodstuffs to the Armenian community of Syria.

The shipment, including wheat, vegetable oil and other canned goods,
was sent overland to Yerevan and will then be air shipped to Syria.

The bulk of the shipment includes local goods produced by the Artsakh
Fruit company.

WWF-ARMENIA: HUNTING HINDERS RESTORATION OF BOAR POPULATION

arminfo
Thursday, September 27, 19:06

Head of WWF-Armenia Karen Manvelyan has negatively assessed the
boar hunting. He has told ArmInfo that several years ago the African
swine fever affected not only domestic pigs, but also wild pigs in
the republic. “A big boar livestock died of this disease, and one
should give an opportunity to the population to restore within the
next 3-5 years”, Manvelyan said.

To note, over the hunting season in Armenia from 1 November 2012 till
28 February 2013, it is allowed to kill up to 10 boar units.

ARMENIAN PROTESTANTS TO FILE CASE

Hurriyet Daily News
Sept 27 2012
Turkey

The Armenian Protestant Church Foundation in GedikpaÅ~_a is preparing
to file a lawsuit against the General Directorate of Foundations
for the properties that have not been returned as part of the law on
foundations passed last year.

The church has not been able to take back the Tuzla orphans’ camp,
the construction of which was contributed to by killed Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink. The General Directorate of Foundations decided
to pay 140,000 Turkish Liras to the foundation for a four-story
building located in one of the busiest streets of GedikpaÅ~_a, despite
it actually being worth one million liras. The decision was announced
under the name of the General Directorate of Foundations Istanbul 1st
District Office’s Foundation Services Department. Krikor Agabaloglu,
the pastor of the church, spoke to the Hurriyet Daily News about the
latest developments on the issue. “Our land in Tuzla was not returned
and now they are proposing 140,000 liras for a building that costs
one million. This is shameful; they are ridiculing us,” he said. “We
have five foundations and only two of them have been returned. We are
struggling to survive with only the support of the church community.”

Agabaloglu said the building’s price would be determined with an
expert review and a lawsuit would be filed as soon as possible.

Turkey’s minority groups in 1936 were forced to give the government
declarations detailing the property in their possession.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM TO PLAY WITH THE LITHUANIAN TEAM IN YEREVAN

Mediamax
Sept 26 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. On November 14, the friendly match of the national
football teams of Armenia and Lithuania will take place in Yerevan.

The agreement has been reached between the Football Federations of
the two countries today.

It should be recalled that the Armenian team lost the game with
Lithuania (0:3) during a friendly match in Kaunas on August 10, 2011.

“SHAMEFUL DEAL” ON SAFAROV’S EXTRADITION SERIOUSLY JEOPARDIZED THE PEACE PROCESS, ARMENIAN FM SAYS

Mediamax
Sept 26 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said
that “the shameful deal on Safarov’s extradition seriously jeopardized
the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict”.

The Minister said this speaking in World Affairs Council in Los
Angeles on September 24.

“Despite the efforts made by the mediators over the past four years,
15 high-level meetings, dozens of ministerial meetings, several dozens
of visits of Co-Chairs to the region and fixation of some progress
in negotiations it was impossible to achieve breaktrough as the
Azerbaijani side turned down all the proposals made by the mediators.

Not only does Azerbaijan ignore calls of the international community
but also neglects the values of the civilized world. The latest
manifestation of such a behavior by Azerbaijan was the pardon and
glorification of murderer Safarov which shocked the international
community.

There is not a single international organization, neither a single
state which would accept Azerbaijan’s conduct. The response of the
international community to this disgraceful step is unambiguous and
unified – strong condemnation of the actions of the official Baku.

The shameful deal on Safarov’s extradition seriously jeopardized the
Karabakh settlement as well as steps toward establishing stability and
security in the region. It’s another step to fail endeavors undertaken
by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

Despite Azerbaijan’s non-constructive steps, Armenia will continue
its efforts toward Karabakh settlement exclusively in peaceful ways,
based on the principles of international law, principles and goals
stated in the UN Charter”, said Edward Nalbandyan.