Author: Karagyozian Lena

ITAR-TASS, Russia
 Saturday 10:15 PM GMT
Putin suggests comparing notes on current and midterm issues at
meeting with Armenia’s PM
MOSCOW September 9
Russian President Vladimir Putin made a proposal to compare notes on
current and midterm matters at a meeting with Prime Minister of
Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.
MOSCOW, September 9. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin made a
proposal to compare notes on current and midterm matters at a meeting
with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.
"I am very glad to see for comparing notes in respect of our
interaction at present and in the midterm perspective," the Russian
leader said at the start of talks.
Russia steadily keeps the first place among economic partners of
Armenia and is the largest investor into the economy of the republic,
Putin said. The Russian President noted diversified nature of trade
and economic ties between two countries. "These are energy, including
hydrocarbons energy, gas supplies at the lowest prices for global gas
deliveries by Gazprom - $150 per thousand cubic meters, nuclear energy
and thermal generation," Putin said. Relations are also developing in
the metals sector and in machine-building, he added.
Growth of trade turnover between Russia and Armenia by almost 30% is
encouraging, Putin said. Growth over the first half of this year was
also above 22%, the Russian leader said. "If it goes on in the same
manner, we will be above last-year figures," Putin added.

Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 30 2018
Robert Kocharian: it's not just a criminal case, it's a political vendetta
Yerevan August 29
Naira Badalian. Former President Robert Kocharian returned to Armenia
in the hope that "the judicial and legal system is not completely
jammed under the executive power." He stated this in an exclusive
interview with NTV regarding the reasons for his return to Armenia.
"I came back, I was in Greece, I came back, completely realizing that
I could be arrested, it's obvious that people, let's say, my type, do
not run away from difficulties." Still, there was some hope that the
judicial and legal system is not completely jammed under the executive
power, and although some degree of independence of the courts still
exists, I came to fight for my honor and dignity, "Kocharian said.
According to him, the case against him is "sewn with white threads".
"Immunity is just a small part of the defense line. I came back here
to defend my dignity and honor, not only because I have immunity, but
also because the entire criminal case is sewn with white threads.
There is no criminal case at all, "- said the 2 nd president. At the
same time, he noted that this statement is based on the fact that he
is familiar with the criminal case, but because of the secrecy of the
investigation cannot now talk about its details.
"I am charged with overthrowing the constitutional order. Can you
imagine? The president, as the guarantor of the constitution,
occupying this post, it turns out, overthrew himself: They tried to
find some formula of the indictment in priests. This suggests that it
is not just a criminal case, it's a political vendetta: Why did I
suddenly become a target after 10 years of quiet life outside the
presidential seat and out of power in general? 10 years ago there were
elections, and I had only a month or two before the end of my second
term, and there were elections that ended with the first round, and
Serzh Sargsyan was elected president, with 53% of the vote, followed
by the first president of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, with 21% of
the vote. declared himself elected President, in all respects of the
declared that he scored about 65% of the vote and started permanent
protests in central Yerevan. The rallies were not sanctioned, and the
slogans at the rallies were as follows: "We must dismantle the state
power."
Further, appeals were made to the army, to the security forces, an
attempt to involve them in the process was evident for 7 days. During
this time, the CEC recognized the results of the elections as
legitimate, the Constitutional Court further upheld the decision of
the CEC, the conclusion of all major international observers was
positive, including observers from the OSCE, the Council of Europe.
The whole electoral cycle was completed successfully enough, but the
whole thing ended in a skirmish between the demonstrators and the
police, and as a result, 10 people were killed, two of them policemen.
Ten years later, those who organized these mass riots came to power
who were convicted of organizing mass riots. So I'm talking about a
political vendetta. That is, ten years later those who lost those
elections came to power. And today all their thoughts are occupied
with how to pay off with people whom they consider enemies ", -
Kocharyan.
Thus, according to Kocharyan, there are no grounds for instituting a
criminal case: "I was president, I do not understand how I could
overthrow the constitutional system, being the president who needs to
leave in a month."
To recall, second Armenian President Robert Kocharian was imprisoned
on July 28. The ex-president was charged under part 1 of Article 300.1
of the RA Criminal Code - overthrowing the constitutional order of the
Republic of Armenia by preliminary collusion with other persons, which
provides for deprivation of liberty from ten to fifteen years in the
criminal case on dispersal of protest actions on March 1-2, 2008 .

IRNA , Iran
Aug 29 2018
Iran, Armenia underline finalizing electricity transfer project
Tehran
Officials from Iran and Armenia on Saturday urged finalizing the
project for setting up Line 3 of the network for exchange of
electricity. Iran's Deputy Energy Minister Homayoon Haeri and Armenian
Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources Artur
Grigoryan, during a meeting in Yerevan, discussed development of the
project. The Iranian deputy minister said timely implementation of the
third line of the network for electricity transfer to Armenia is one
of the main parts of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the
republic. Haeri said implementation of the project is part of the
multilateral cooperation corridor among Iran, Armenia, Georgia and
Russia. The Armenian minister, for his part, referred to his country's
plans for upgrading relations with Iran, expressing readiness to help
finalization of the electricity project with Iran. The two sides
underlined the resolve of both sides to pursue the agreements reached
during a joint commission meeting and to bring into force the already
signed documents, particularly those in the area of energy.