Author: Khoyetsian Rose

ARF ISSUES STATEMENT ON PROTOCOLS COURT RULING

Asbarez
Jan 13th, 2010

YEREVAN (ARF Press Office)-The Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s
governing Bureau on Wednesday issued a statement on the January 11
decision by Armenia’s Constitutional Court to uphold the legality of
the government’s controversial normalization agreements with Turkey.

We present the translated text of the statement.

Fellow compatriots

On January 12, 2010 the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia
examined the constitutionality of the responsibilities undertaken by
the Armenian side according to the signed Armenian-Turkish protocols.

Thus began the process of ratifying the Protocols that endanger out
national interests and contradict the founding principles of our state,
as stipulated in the Constitution.

The ARF had, from the start, rejected the three main points in
the protocols which it considered to be preconditions aiming at:
undermining the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide;
legitimizing the current border between Armenia and Turkey; and linking
the normalization of the relations between Armenia and Turkey with
the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in Azerbaijan’s favor.

We were, and still are, convinced that the signed protocols contradict
with Armenia’s constitution to a degree sufficient to provide the
Constitutional Court with valid legal basis to consider the protocols
unconstitutional.

While, unfortunately that didn’t occur, we are convinced that the
mounting resentments expressed in Armenia and the Diaspora against
the protocols is yielding results. First, as the decision reached by
the Constitutional Court also indicates, the signing of the protocols
is the result of the poor performance of Armenia’s Foreign Minister.

Second, the Constitutional Court has indicated that the establishment
of relations with Turkey should be strictly diplomatic in nature,
and has accepted the opening of the border between Armenia and Turkey.

Moreover the Constitutional Court did refer to the expressed concerns
regarding the protocols and has provided enough legal basis for Armenia
to express reservations regarding some of the points in the protocols.

The Constitutional Court specifically passed a decision that the
protocols are considered to be a bilateral agreement between Armenia
and Turkey and that the Republic of Armenia could not speak on behalf
of a third party, in this case Nagorno-Karabakh.

On the issue of the Genocide, any responsibilities that Armenia should
undertake based on the provisions of the protocols can not contradict
the preamble of Armenia’s constitution and the 11th point of Armenia’s
declaration of independence which explicitly mentions that the Republic
of Armenia will support the international recognition of the Genocide
of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire and in Western Armenia.

As far as defining the border between Armenia and Turkey is concerned,
the protocols do not have any legal premise to delineate those
boundaries. Hence this is still an open issue, and one that could be
resolved solely based on a future inter-state agreement.

Having the Constitutional Court’s decision, the ARF is convinced that
the decision could diffuse the dangers expressed in the protocols if
at the time of the ratification, the reservations expressed by the
Constitutional Court become an integral part of the ratified protocols.

Fellow compatriots,

We consider that the decision reached by the Constitutional Court is
the successful end product of a struggle that has brought together
the efforts of the ARF, other political and social groups as well as
the whole nation. However the challenge still, lies ahead. We have
to increase our efforts exponentially and force the authorities of
Armenia to bring this process to a conclusion

Our final goal is to normalize Armenian -Turkish relations without
undermining the interests of the nation and the state and specifically
without giving any concessions from the rightful demands of generations
of our people.

Armenian Revolutionary Federation January 12, 2010

POLICE CAPTAIN ARRESTED

armradio.am
12.01.2010 17:04

Within the criminal case initiated in the RA Special Investigation
Service, on January 11, 2009 the senior inspector of RA Police,
Arabkir Division Investigation Department, captain H. Simonyan was
arrested on suspicion of exceeding official authorities.

According to the preliminary investigation information, H. Simonyan
exceeded his official duties and willfully committed illegal actions
in the framework of the materials prepared by the RA Police, Arabkir
division inspector D. Atoyan.

The preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated in SIS
continues and the results will be announced, Press Service of the
Prosecutor General’s Office informs.

ANDREY ARESHEV: ANY CONDITIONS ON TURKEY’S PART OUT OF THE QUESTION

news.am
Jan 12 2010
Armenia

Whatever claims Turkey may lay to playing a more essential role
in dealing with problems in the South Caucasus, the fact is that
it will never resolve any problem without coordinating its actions
with Russia, Andrey Areshev, Deputy Director General of the Strategic
Culture Foundation, told NEWS.am, speaking of Turkish Premier Recep
Erdogan’s visit to Moscow scheduled for January 12.

He said that both bilateral and regional problems are normally
discussed during such visits. The expert believes that the sides will
lay emphasis on energy problems, "various gas and oil pipelines turkey
is most interested in."

As regards RF Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s forthcoming visit to
Armenia, Areshev pointed out everything is quite clear: "Besides
bilateral relations, the sides will, of course, discuss regional
problems, particularly the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, with no progress
toward a settlement being observed," the expert said.

Areshev believes that Azerbaijan’s bellicose statements hinder the
peace process within the OSCE Minsk Group. According to him, much
will be talked about the prospects for settling the conflict this
year at the meeting, but the good will repeatedly shown by Russia
and Armenia is not sufficient for the conflict to be settled.

Since Azerbaijan presents the Turkish Premier’s discussions of energy
problems in Moscow as a key to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, Areshev pointed out that any conditions on the part of
Turkey at out of the question.

"Issues of Russian-Turkish energy cooperation are too complicated to
be linked to the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. Especially as the problem
cannot be resolved of the individual will of either Russia or Turkey,"
Areshev said. He pointed out that no breakthrough should be expected
of the forthcoming meetings.

PURCHASE AND SALE TRANSACTIONS OF .1 MILLION CONDUCTED AT NASDAQ OMX ARMENIA OJSC ON JANUARY 12

Noyan Tapan
Jan 12, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Purchase and sale transactions of
.1 million at the weighted average exchange rate of 377.83 drams per
dollar were conducted at Nasdaq OMX Armenia OJSC on January 12.

According to the press service of the Central Bank of Armenia, the
closing price was 377.25 drams.

HERITAGE PICKETS CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.01.2010 13:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Heritage party has organized a picket in front of
the RA Constitutional Court premises.

As a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent reports from the scene,
the protesters demonstratively burn leaflets reading, "No to
Armenian-Turkish Protocols and Madrid Principles". People are
holding posters featuring the maps of Armenia and Great Armenia. One
of demonstrators tore apart a picture of Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, Prosecutor General Aghvan
Hovsepyan, Head of RA Police Alik Sargsyan.

Party members also submitted to the court a statement demanding to
recognize Armenian-Turkish Protocols unconstitutional.

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the common border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich
by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish
counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of
diplomatic talks held through Swiss mediation.

Founded in 2002, Heritage a National Liberal Party, is national by
its roots, liberal in its economic principle, and an advocate of the
democratic system of governance and due process for its citizens. The
party’s objective is the development of Armenia as a democratic,
lawful, and rights-based country that anchors its domestic and foreign
policies in the nation’s sovereign interest. During the party’s Third
Congress on May 30, 2005, Raffi K. Hovannisian was elected chairman.

The other eight members of the party board were elected by secret vote.

ARMENIAN PEACEKEEPERS TO TRAIN IN GERMANY AHEAD OF AFGHAN DEPLOYMENT

Asbarez
Jan 11th, 2010

YEREVAN (Itar-Tass)-The first grouping Armenia’s 40-solider
peacekeeping contingent to Afghanistant left for Germany on Monday to
begin a four-week training mission before deploying to Afghanistan
as part of the German contingent, Armenian Defense Minister Seiran
Ohanyan said Saturday.

According to the Russian Itar-Tass news agency, the remaining 30
peacekeepers will fly to the German city of Cologne on January 17
for their training. The entire contingent will begin its six month
tour of duty in Afghanistan in February.

Armenia launches its peacemaking mission in Afghanistan, joining the
German contingent there. The first soldiers, ten of the total 40,
have left for a four-week training mission in Germany,

The division will be guarding the coalition airport in the northern
city of Kunduz, Ohanyan said, thanking the German Army for its "overall
support" to Armenia’s soliders both in Germany and in Afghanistan.

Armenia has been an active partner in the NATO-led peacekeeping
operations in Kosovo and Iraq since 2003.

ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN’S PROTEST RALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR PROSPEROUS ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.01.2010 14:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Any rally or protest action, including today’s event
of ARF Dashnaktsutyun, aimed at exerting pressure on the conclusion
of the RA Constitutional Court is not acceptable, since the judicial
system of Armenia is an independent authority, said Aram Safaryan,
secretary of the Prosperous Armenia parliamentary group.

According to MP, the action of Dashnaktsutyun would be acceptable
and understandable only if it is aimed at drawing public attention
to their point of view. "I cannot say whether this protest would
affect the decision of the Constitutional Court or not," he told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

According to Safaryan, at the moment in the process of Armenian-Turkish
normalization, Turkey is at an advantage. If the Turkish parliament
ratifies the Protocols without any preconditions and reservations,
then Armenia will do likewise," Mr. Safaryan said.

He also noted that if Turkey introduces preconditions, then Armenia
will adequately react in the framework of international law.

The protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the common border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich
by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish
counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of
diplomatic talks held through Swiss mediation.

Prosperous Armenia was founded on 30 April 2004. The founder of the
party and its chairman is RA National Assembly’s MP Gagik Tsarukyan.

Prosperous Armenia is the party of civil accord and holds a centrist
position on Armenia’s political area. Advocating democracy and
liberalism, Prosperous Armenia supports preservation of national and
traditional values, attaching great importance to family, church and
state. The party has joined the government coalition and is currently
represented by 26 MPs in the National Assembly of Armenia.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun is an Armenian
political party founded in Tiflis (Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia)
in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian
The ARF has the largest number of members from the political parties
present in the Armenian Diaspora, having established affiliates in
more than 200 countries.

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun led the effort toward the establishment of
the first Armenian Republic in 1918 and was the party in power for
the duration of its existence. Following the Sovietization of Armenia
in 1920, the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun was banned by the Communists and its
leadership exiled.

In the Diaspora, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun fought Soviet rule over
Armenia and championed the cause of Armenian rights and independence;
it played a leading role in organizing a social and cultural framework
aimed at preserving the Armenian identity.

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun officially re-emerged in Armenia during the
dissolution of the USSR, in 1990.

On December 28, 1994, the activities of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun were
"temporarily suspended" by the Armenian authorities. In view of
the political nature of the anti-ARF interdictions by the Armenian
authorities, the ARF continued to operate in Armenia. On February 9,
1998, less than a week after the resignation of the then president
Ter-Petrossian, the Justice Ministry lifted the ban on the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun.

Armenian chess players claim third win at World Team Championship
09.01.2010 13:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The 4th tour of World Team Chess Championship 2009
took place in Bursa, Turkey, was held yesterday, January 8. Current
leaders, Armenians claimed their third win, beating Brazilians
2,5-1,5.

In the 5th tour, Armenian grandmasters will rival Indians.

The World Team Championship was established in 1985 and is being held
in four year cycles. It was first planned that the event be played in
Lucerne for keeps, but recently this idea has been dropped. Due to
instability of the results produced by the Swiss system adopted at the
Olympiads the World Team Championship was scheduled to be an
invitational round robin event. Only ten teams qualify; the invitation
rules varied over decades evolving to the following contemporary
formula: the host team, three top teams from recent Olympiad, four
continental champions, winners of Women’s Olympiad and one invited
team.

At the Championship, Armenian National Team won bronze in 1997, 2001
and 2005.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan: Hnchak party has essentially contributed to ANC’s
formation
09.01.2010 17:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Leader of Armenian National Congress (ANC) Levon
Ter-Petrosyan delivered a speech during the 7th session of
Social-Democrat Hnchak Party.

Highly appreciating the party’s role, Armenia’s ex-President said, `I
am quite familiar with the history of establishing Hnchak Party in
Armenia and can definitely say that as a political force it gained
popularity among Armenians over the recent two years. It has
essentially contributed tgo the formation of ANC,’ he noted.

According to Mr. Ter-Petrosyan, ` The opposition’s weakening is
possible only in case the authorities’ efforts prove successful, but
over the past two years the country only experienced defeats and
failures.’

Touching on the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement, Mr. Ter-Petrosyan
approved the party’s negative stance on the process.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan is the first President of Armenia (1988-1998).
Starting from February 1988, he headed Karabakh committee. From
December 1988 till May 1998, he was arrested together with other
committee members.

In November 1989, Levon Ter-Petrosyan was elected as member of
Pan-Armenian National Movement’s governing board, and subsequently
became its Chairperson (August 27, 1989). He was later elected to ASSR
Supreme Council and held the Speaker’s post in 1990-91.

Ter-Petrosyan was elected as Armenia’s first President on October 16,
1991 and was subsequently re-elected in 1996.

In 1998 he resigned from post because of disagreements over Karabakh
issue, In 2008, Ter-Petrosyan ran for presidency again, but was
defeated by the country’s current leader Serzh Sargsyan. He is the
founder and leader of Armenian National Congress, the central
pro-opposition force in Armenia.

The Social Democrat Hunchakian Party is one of the oldest political
parties in Armenia and the first Socialist party in the Ottoman Empire
and in Persia in the 1880s. It was founded in 1887 by Avetis
Nazarbekian, Mariam Vardanian, Ruben Khan-Azat and others, who studied
in Geneva, Switzerland, with the goal to gain Armenia’s independence
from the Ottoman Empire, which is part of Armenian national liberation
movement Its name, taken from its newspaper Hunchak, means "Bell" in
English, and is taken by party members to represent "awakening,
enlightenment, and freedom."

Hunchak party fought many battles against the Ottoman Empire, to free
the Armenian people from Turkish rule. One of Armenia’s famous
national heroes Andranik Ozanian, at first, joined the Hunchak party,
but disagreement with party policies led Andranik to leave the Hunchak
ranks and join the Dashnak party.

The party also played role in establishment of Democratic Republic of
Armenia, as party members took part in the Battle of Sardarapat,
during the World War I at Caucasus Campaign, which defended the
Armenian capital of Yerevan from Army of Islam of Ottoman Empire.

In the early 1990s, it took part in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

This party is operates branches in United States, Lebanon, Syria,
Kuwait, Armenia, Egypt, Argentina, Uruguay, Canada, Australia,
Britain, France, Cyprus etc.

It was also active in Lebanon, where it competes for the six National
Assembly seats reserved for ethnic Armenians.
In Armenia it forms part of opposition bloc. Party member Yeghia
Jerjerian is a member of Lebanese parliament.
The Hunchakian party has established affiliate organizations such as
the AEBU which is an organization that helps with educational, health
and social care, the Armenian Dkhrouhi Youth Association and HMM
(Homenmen) which is a sporting organization (not to be confused with
Homenetmen).

news.am, Armenia
Jan 8 2010

Germany calls on Ankara to ratify Protocols

12:14 / 01/08/2010In the course of his visit to Turkey, German Foreign
Minister Guido Westerwelle called on Ankara to ratify Armenia-Turkey
Protocols immediately.

According to Gercekgundem website, German Foreign Minister supported
Turkey’s membership to EU on behalf of his country at the joint press
conference with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu. Westerwelle
also underlined that Turkey is a significant country for Germany.

Armenia-Turkey Protocols were signed October 10 in Zurich and should
be ratified by both countries’ parliaments.

A.G.