Author: Nalbandian Eduard

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CALLS FOR RESTRAINT AND VIGILANCE

armradio.am
03.03.2008 17:24

On March 2nd the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia convened
a special sitting upon the initiative of 60 Deputies to discuss the
draft statement of the National Assembly on the events in Yerevan on
March 1st. It was presented by NA Deputy Rafik Petrosyan.

THE STATEMENT OF RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ON THE EVENTS IN YEREVAN ON
MARCH 1ST

"Expressing concern over the events of March 1st and denouncing. The
provocation of disorders in the capital by known forces, as a result
of which tens of citizens and representatives of law-enforcement bodies
were wounded, and the capital suffered considerable moral and material
losses; The propagation of hatred and malice in political processes;
Any action endangering the country’s stability, international image
and national unity;

And attaching importance to

Reestablishment of order in the capital, restoration of normal
life. Neutralization of the danger to the lives of people and property;
Resolution of political issues on the basis of dialogue; Resolution
of legal issues, especially connected with electoral procedures,
in compliance with RA Constitution and laws; Respect for tolerance
as a basis for excluding divisions among the society;

The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia

– Considers that the decree of the President of the Republic of
Armenia on establishing a state of emergency is necessary and lawful;

– Calls our citizens for restraint and vigilance in order to overcome
this complex situation as soon as possible to have the country return
to normal life."

The Speaker of the National Assembly put the draft statement on a
vote. The statement was unanimously adopted by 81 Deputies present
at the sitting.

DEADLY POST-ELECTION PROTESTS IN ARMENIA CONCERN UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF

States News Service
March 2, 2008 Sunday

The following information was released by the United Nations:

The United Nations human rights chief today voiced deep concern at
reports that at least eight people have been killed and many others
injured during demonstrations in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia,
where the results of recent presidential elections have been disputed.

Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, issued a
statement in which she said she was particularly concerned that force
was used against peaceful demonstrators yesterday and that opposition
protesters have been detained.

Ms. Arbour called on the authorities in Armenia a" where a state of
emergency has been declared a" to exercise the utmost restraint and
to ensure that due process is followed in the case of any detentions.

The High Commissioner noted that Armenia is a signatory to the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which
states that, even during states of emergency, fundamental rights
such as the right to life and the prohibition of torture and cruel,
inhumane and degrading treatment cannot be suspended.

Any restrictions of rights must be proportionate and may only
be applied to the extent and duration strictly warranted by the
circumstances, the statement added.

Protests began in Yerevan after Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan was
declared the winner of the 19 February presidential poll, a result
that is disputed by the opposition candidate Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

VATICAN’S TOP DIPLOMAT POSTPONES VISIT TO ARMENIA

Agence France Presse
March 2, 2008 Sunday

Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone postponed Sunday a visit
to Armenia in view of the state of emergency declared in Yerevan
after deadly clashes, the Holy See said in a statement.

"In consideration of the situation in Armenia following the protests
and the state of emergency declared by the government, His Eminence
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone … will not leave today as planned for
Yerevan," the Vatican communique said.

"The visit has not been cancelled and may take place in the coming
days with an altered programme," it said, adding however that Cardinal
Bertone’s planned four-day visit to Azerbaijan would go ahead from
Thursday.

Armenian authorities imposed a state of emergency in their capital
late Saturday after eight people were killed during violent protests
against the alleged rigging of a February 19 presidential election.

The state of emergency will be in effect until March 20, under a
decree signed by President Robert Kocharian.

The Vatican number two had planned to leave Sunday for Yerevan, where
he was to meet with Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians as well as Armenian government leaders.

In Azerbaijan, the Vatican’s top diplomat plans to meet Sheikh
Allashukur Pashazade, head of Muslims in the Caucasus, and other
religious leaders.

Bertone returned last Thursday from a high-profile trip to Cuba, where
he met with the Caribbean island nation’s new president, Raul Castro.

Armenian protestors defy police crackdown

Agence France Presse
March 1 2008

YEREVAN (AFP) – Thousands of Armenians defied a crackdown Saturday
and massed in the capital Yerevan hours after police dispersed a
rally and put opposition chief Levon Ter-Petrosian under house arrest.

About 8,000 opposition supporters protesting alleged rigging of
the February 19 presidential election in the former Soviet republic
gathered near the mayor’s office and several embassies.

"Serzh out! Serzh out!" the crowd chanted, referring to the official
winner of the election, Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian.

Demonstrators clambered over a barricade of buses parked across an
avenue by the security forces and one police car was set ablaze.

Both sides appeared keen to avoid confrontation, however. Riot police
pulled back and opposition leaders urged calm.

"Do not provoke scuffles," Stepan Demirchian, head of the Popular
Party, instructed.

The opposition’s show of defiance came shortly after riot police
stormed Freedom Square, by Yerevan’s opera house, to clear a hard
core of some 1,500 protesters, who had been camping there around the
clock since the election.

Police could be seen beating several protestors and the health
ministry reported that 31 people, including six police officers,
had been injured in the operation.

Among those arrested was former prime minister Hrant Bagratian,
said Arman Musinian, a spokesman for Ter-Petrosian’s party.

Ter-Petrosian himself, the opposition leader, defeated presidential
candidate and former president of the mountainous country, said he
had been placed under house arrest following the crackdown.

"Police took me home. Now I am confined to my residence," he told
journalists at his Yerevan apartment.

Ter-Petrosian ran on an anti-corruption platform and alleged massive
fraud in the election to replace outgoing President Robert Kocharian.

The mass protests echoed other street movements that have brought
down governments in neighbouring ex-Soviet Georgia, as well as Ukraine
and Kyrgyzstan following disputed elections in the last four years.

Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) have already said that the election "mostly" met international
standards.

But in a statement posted on their website Saturday, the current OSCE
chairman Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva, condemned the use
of force against peaceful demonstrators in Yerevan.

"I urge the authorities to use maximum restraint," he said.

"I am troubled that there are reports of casualties. I urge the
authorities to release those detained, and I again call on the
government and the opposition to engage in dialogue," the minister
said.

The opposition accuses Sarkisian, who was backed by Kocharian, of
having used state resources to promote his candidacy, while activists
campaigning for Ter-Petrosian across the country were beaten up.

Though both the round-the-clock tent camp and massive daytime rallies
remained peaceful, the authorities had been warning that their patience
was wearing thin.

Kocharian has described the protests as an attempt at an illegal
power grab and promised the government’s response would be "decisive
and firm."

Sarkisian tried to reach out to opponents and on Friday signed a
coalition deal with the third-placed candidate, Artur Baghdasarian.

Sarkisian also said that a deal could soon be made with another
opposition leader, Vahan Hovannisian, who heads the nationalist
party Dashnaktsutiun.

Official results gave 52.9 percent of the vote to Sarkisian and 21.5
percent to Ter-Petrosian.

Armenia declares emergency rule

BBC News
3/1/2008

A state of emergency has been declared in Armenia’s capital on
the 11th consecutive day of protests against an allegedly rigged
presidential election.

President Robert Kocharyan signed the decree "to prevent a threat to
constitutional order".

It came after police fired in the air to disperse demonstrators. Some
reports suggest a number of casualties.

Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian won the 19 February vote against
opposition challenger Levon Ter-Petrosian.

Mr Ter-Petrosian says he is under house arrest.

‘Standing firm’

The latest clashes erupted after police cleared Freedom Square of
opposition demonstrators who had been camping there since the election.

Regrouping later, they used buses as barricades. Some cars were set
on fire.

Lines of police were deployed to face the protesters.

A witness told Reuters news agency police had fired in the air "to
scare us".

—

"We could see red tracer bullet fire being shot in two directions"
– Alan Saffery, Witness

—

"They have fired tear gas. But people are standing firm. There are
thousands of people standing here with us."

Some unconfirmed reports said a number of people had been injured
as police fired in the air. It was not clear how the injuries were
sustained.

Alan Saffery, a development consultant in Yerevan, heard a lot of
gunfire from his home close to Freedom Square.

"After the shooting, we heard a lot of shouting and saw people running
from the scene. We could see red tracer bullet fire being shot in
two directions," he told the BBC.

Lori, who lives in the centre of Yerevan, saw a line of tanks roll
down her street shortly before the violence erupted.

"About 30 minutes later I saw a flash from my window and then we
heard a boom sound," she said.

"We heard shooting and saw red tracer bullets firing in our direction.
The shooting was constant and very heavy for more than an hour."

Witnesses also spoke of looting in the centre of Yerevan.

The state of emergency is to remain in force until 20 March, the
presidential decree says.

The opposition has said it will continue with the protests.

International observers judged the poll in the ex-Soviet Caucasus
republic to be generally democratic.

Official results gave Mr Sarkisian 53% of the vote, with Mr
Ter-Petrosian, a former president, getting 21.5%.

VAHAN HOVHANNISIAN RELIEVED OF POST OF VICE SPEAKER OF ARMENIA’S PARLIAMENT

DE FACTO
Feb 28, 2008

YEREVAN, 28.02.08. DE FACTO. On February 28 Armenia’s National Assembly
received Vahan Hovhannisian’s resignation from the post of RA NA Chair.

The Chair of Armenia’s NA Tigran Torosian expressed his gratitude
to Vahan Hovhannisian for efficient work he had carried out, while
being vice speaker, and wished him successes in his further activity.

To note, Vahan Hovhannisian had stated his intention to tender
resignation on February 22, and on February 25 he filed a
resignation. This decision a member of ARF Dashnaktsutyun Bureau
motivated by breaches committed in the course of presidential elections
in Armenia.

To remind, a candidate nominated by ARF Dashnaktsutyun Vahan
Hovhannisian participated in the presidential elections held in
Armenia on February 19.

According to the RA CEC, Vahan Hovhannisian received 6, 2% of the
electors’ votes.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT TO BE REGULATED WITHIN TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF AZERBAIJAN: OSCE CHAIR

Trend News Agency
Feb 28 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 28 February / corr TrendNews S.Agayeva / Ilkka
Kanerva, the Finnish Foreign minister and the OSCE chairman-in-office
assured Baku that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be settled within
the framework of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

Kanerva made this statement to journalists after a meeting with the
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in Baku on 28 February.

According to Kanerva, the OSCE will continue supporting the resolution
of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict within the Minsk Group. It is the
OSCE’s priority. "It is good that the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia
wish to continue talks and their results will be definitely supported
by the OSCE," the chairman-in-office said. He noted the importance
to intensify the negotiation process to achieve rapid positive results.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful
negotiations.

THEY WILL SUE THE GOVERNMENT

A1+
28 February, 2008

Today the representatives of the North and Main avenues, Dalma and
Nork gardens organized a protest action in front of the Government
building. They demanded the Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan to receive
them. Representatives of Yerevan Municipality came to listen to their
complaints but the demonstrators did not welcome them.

"In the Republican Square the Prime Minister said they would do this
and that. We have come to make sure whether he will keep his promises
or not. We do not want to meet the Mayor, since he is the perpetrator
of this chaos. We want the Prime Minister to carry out his promises",
complained the Chairman of the "Protection of Property Rights" NGO
Vachagan Hakobyan.

"The Prime Minister promised a dignified life. I demand a house in
any community in Yerevan", said Roman Zarafyan, who had been living in
the center more than 40 years. The resident of 1/5 Abovyan street Edik
Mesropyan has come to demand a new apartment from the Prime Minister.

The former resident of 4 /18 Amiryan Street Gagik anticipated
that Serge Sargsyan would receive him, but the Prime Minister did
not. Gagik is disappointed in the authorities that he has decided to
leave the country

Vachagan Hakobyan informed that they were preparing a letter to sue
the Government, since they did not do anything at all. "If they do
not solve our problem within two days, we will join the opposition
and fight against the authorities", said Vachagan Hakobyan.

SOCIAL PAYMENTS BESIDES LUMP-SUM TAX

KarabakhOpen
26-02-2008 10:14:24

During the meeting of government amendments to the law on the lump-sum
tax were proposed.

According to the amendments, the people who work at the Central Market
of Stepanakert will have to pay the lump-sum tax. The tax service
told the reporter of Karabakh-Open.com that besides the lump-sum
tax the traders will also have to pay social payments. By the way,
they also pay rent to the owner of the marketplace.

According to the law, the legal persons and sole proprietors who do run
shops and stands with a space of up to 10 sq m pay the lump-sum tax.

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Feb. 26, 2008

ONLY REPENTANCE OF AZERBAIJAN’S LEADERSHIP CAN BECOME A STEP ON WAY
OF REVIVAL OF TOLERANCY BETWEEN ARMENIANS AND AZERBAIJANIS

YEREVAN, 26.02.08. DE FACTO. Only the repentance of Azerbaijan’s
political leadership may become a step on the way of revival of
tolerancy between Armenian and Azerbaijani peoples, the President of
the Russian Society for Friendship and Cooperation with Armenia
Victor Krivopuskov stated in the course of an international
conference titled `The Problems of Xenophobia and Tolerancy in the
Region of the South Caucasus’ held on February 25 in Yerevan.
Victor Krivopuskov underscored that anti-Armenian pogroms in Soumgait
had been organized, purposeful and planned. `The Azerbaijani
leadership not only committed crime against Armenians, but also
against their own people: those days a lot of Azerbaijanis, who
participated in Armenians’ carnage, became criminals’, V. Krivopuskov
underscored.

According to Victor Krivopuskov, the Soumgait issue should not be
considered in the context of interethnic conflict only, but also from
historic viewpoint. `Soumgait is a continuation of Turkish policy,
embodiment of the idea of Great Turan under conditions of modern
Azerbaijan’, he noted.

According to the Russian public figure, Azerbaijan’s authorities did
not repent for what they had done; moreover, nowadays they continue
aggressive policy of hatred against Armenians that is manifested in
falsifications of historic facts, events of the recent past,
establishment of pseudo history. He noted that at present Azerbaijan
published numerous booklets and brochures, which reflected
anti-Armenian propaganda in Russia and abroad.