Author: nina hovnanian

THE HERITAGE PARTY BOARD RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN

HETQ
16:44, November 28, 2011

We express bewilderment over the November 26 response of incumbent
Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan to Raffi Hovannisian’s official
letter dating November 21 and assess the response as a segmental and
state-disreputable attack towards Raffi Hovannisian – the person and
first Foreign Minister of Armenia, towards “Heritage” and the entire
opposition, towards Armenian society and common citizen in general.

If in its statement from November 25 the Republican party had
noted “it’s necessary to refrain from attempts of absolutizing the
authorities’ political commitments, as they have reasonable frames”,
then via his November 26 response the Head of Republican party and
acting president Serzh Sargsyan revealed these “frames”. According
to it the conduct of free, fair and competitive elections or any
demand or offer aimed to its realization breaks the “allowed lines”,
claiming to be assessed as blackening, disparaging, poisoning action
pursuing malice intentions.

While voicing his appraisal the acting president had to acknowledge
at least that Raffi Hovannisian’s letter was a generality of concrete
offers revealed in 15 items and not a statement at all, and that the
offers aimed to bring into real action the commitment of holding free
and fair elections declared by authorities – still Serzh Sargsyan
either hasn’t realized or falsifies it.

That kind of conduct and assessments isn’t compatible with status
of leader of the country. That kind of response shows that Armenian
authorities do not refuse and aren’t going to refrain from vicious
practices of exploiting the administrative resources, establishing
party monopolies towards public and state capabilities, provision of
unequal competing conditions, compelling civil and public officers,
fraud of election process through majoritarian vote, manipulations
with voters’ lists, engaging the army and church into politics.

Exactly these vicious methods of authorities for holding elections
along 16 years continuously had blackened and disparaged the country’s
reputation, led to national revolt and bloodshed. We are deeply
concerned that the president assesses 2008 presidential elections
positively and claims it as mainly meeting the international standards
– that suggests we may have another March 1.

The incumbent president has also to realize that such political
rhetoric escorted with “elections” conducted in said manner opens the
shortest way to new inter-society intolerance. Therefore the instant
of sobriety relates to everyone and foremost to acting president.

If Serzh Sargsyan has made a mistake or omittance or distracted
from presidential style and essence – it could happen as well – he
still may correct the mistake and instead of absurd and meaningless
attacks admit the truthfulness of vast majority of Raffi Hovannisian’s
letter’s items. He must take steps for instant resolving of problems,
for making the elections acceptable to all and securing at last de
jure results of elections inRepublicofArmenia.

Board of Heritage party

VARTAN OSKANIAN’S INTERVIEW TO AL JAZEERA

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 17:25:53 – 28/11/2011

On a current note, the fact that Moody’s lowered Armenia’s outlook
this week and put it on a negative watch, how much do you think that
is a reflection of Armenia’s own economy or its exposure to Europe
and Russia?

I think it’s the latter. Armenia’s economy is exposed to the global
economy. Although we are a small country, if the 2009 recession is
any indication, I think any new slowdown or recession in the global
economy will clearly impact Armenia and since this time it seems like
the origins will be Europe, that impact will be even more direct
on Armenia because the European Union is Armenia’s largest trading
partner. Armenia exports metals, cut diamonds to Germany, Bulgaria
and Belgium. The second conduit is Russia, which is the second largest
trading partner for Armenia, the biggest investor in Armenia and the
source of 75 percent of all remittances that come into Armenia.

Armenia exports mostly agricultural products to Russia, raw and
processed. Any global slowdown clearly will affect Russia and will
change these elements and factors and consequently Armenia’s economy
will be affected. I think Moody’s decision was based on this exposure.

Bearing all of that in mind, is there any way that Armenia can, maybe,
not become more self sufficient but perhaps move away from the types
of things you’ve talked about – mining, agriculture, natural resources,
or is it always going to be almost 100% dependent on the export market?

The 2009 recession of course brought this issue home. Diversification
finally became the government’s priority, not that it was not. But
suddenly the government began to pay more attention because Armenia
was one of the hardest hit economies. Actually we were the second
hardest hit economy in 2009. Our GDP declined 14.5 percent which is
huge for Armenia’s economy, so since then we’ve been questioning
the reasons for this decline, when our neighbors decline was much
less than ours. The answer is among many other things inefficiency in
governance, structural problems, also the issue of diversification. So
along with the traditional industries that we inherited from the
Soviet period such as mining and agriculture, Armenia I believe has
tremendous potential in other areas such as information technology,
we have a well-educated population. Tourism and services, because the
country is beautiful and the people are hospitable and also putting
the emphasis on small and mid-size enterprises, because Armenians are
entrepreneurial. Our neighbors of course have many other attractions.

Georgia is a transit country, has access to the sea. Azerbaijan
has oil and gas. Armenia is a land-locked country, has no natural
resources, it’s small in size and population and territory. So our
only attraction for foreign investment, which is very necessary to
develop those areas so we diversify our economy, requires further
democratization of our society, rule of law, broader justice, so that
those will become Armenia’s attractions. The government recognizes
that, we’ve made a lot of headway in those directions, but I don’t
think we’ve done enough.

I wonder if I can ask you about another issue actually which
doesn’t necessarily fall under the global slowdown. It may affect
you economically. This is Iran. The more that the West seeks to put
sanctions on Iran, the effect that that has on you as one of Iran’s
neighbors and the future of things like the gas pipeline which you’re
building between the two countries.

Sanctions on Iran have so far not affected Armenia. If there’re any
additional sanctions because of these latest developments with regard
to nuclear arms, clearly those sanctions will come to bite Armenia.

There’s no doubt about it. But on the other hand, Armenia is a member
of the international community. And is bound to honor mandatory
sanctions. That’s why Armenia’s position has always been that this
conflict with Iran be resolved through negotiations so that we can
avoid additional sanctions, and also, clearly, so we can avoid military
actions. That will be extremely detrimental to the region in its
entirety. So Armenia’s position is that we need to have a negotiated
settlement because additional sanctions will be tantamount for Armenia
to having a third closed border which Armenia cannot afford.

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:

November 28, 2011

The Heritage Party Board’s Response To President Serzh Sargsyan

Yerevan–We express bewilderment over the November 26 response of
incumbent Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan to Raffi Hovannisian’s
official letter dated November 21 and assess the response as a
partisan and unstatesmanlike incursion against Hovannisian the
individual and first foreign minister of the Republic of Armenia,
against `Heritage’ and the entire opposition, and most notably upon
the Armenian public and its average citizen.

If in its statement of November 25 the Republican Party asserted that
`it is necessary to refrain from attempts at rendering absolute the
authorities’ political commitments, as they have reasonable limits,’
then through his November 26 response the chairman of that party and
acting president Serzh Sargsyan revealed these limits. According to
them, the conduct of free, fair, and competitive elections or any
demand or proposal addressing their realization breaches the
`allowable limits’ and so can be evaluated as a blackening,
disparaging, venomous act pursued with malicious motivation.

While voicing his appraisal the president had to acknowledge at least
that Raffi Hovannisian’s letter was a compendium of 15 concrete
proposals and not a statement at all, and that his priority
suggestions sought to bring to actual fruition the commitment of
holding free and fair elections as declared by the authorities. It is
this civil intention which Serzh Sargsyan either has not comprehended
or purposefully distorts.

This kind of demeanor and label-slinging is not compatible with the
status of leader of the nation. Such a response demonstrates that the
Armenian authorities do not forswear, and hence are not going to
refrain from, the vicious practices of exploiting for partisan gain
administrative and other public resources, establishing party
monopolies over public and state capabilities, imposing unequal
conditions for pre-electoral and electoral competition, coercing civil
servants and public officials, encouraging fraud of the election
process through the majoritarian system, manipulating voters’ lists
especially with reference to absentees, and engaging the army and
church in politics.

It is precisely by these invidious methods that succeeding
administrations have held elections over the past 16 years; they are
the ones who have blackened and disparaged the country’s reputation
and led it into national upheaval and bloodshed. We are deeply
concerned that the president views the 2008 presidential elections in
a positive light and claims that they largely corresponded with
international standards. This implies that we might be headed for
another March 1.

The incumbent president also must realize that such political
rhetoric, accompanied by `elections’ conducted in the aforementioned
manner, opens the shortest way to renewed intra-societal intolerance.
The imperative for sobriety, therefore, relates to everyone–and first
and foremost to the president.

If Serzh Sargsyan has committed a mistake or omission or has deviated
from presidential style and substance–this might happen from time to
time–he still can correct his error and instead of launching absurd
and meaningless attacks confess the veracity of the vast majority of
Raffi Hovannisian’s agenda items. In letter and spirit he must take
immediate measures to resolve these outstanding problems, to make the
elections acceptable for all stakeholders, and to secure at long last
de jure electoral results in the Republic of Armenia.

Heritage Party Board

ANC GRASSROOTS ENERGIZES AND EDUCATES ARMENIAN COMMUNITY

Tert.am
29.11.11

An unprecedented more than 500 Armenian community members and activists
attended the Armenian National Committee ~V Western Region~Rs inaugural
ANC Grassroots event over Thanksgiving Weekend to chart a new course
for advocacy of Armenian issues, Asbarez.com reported.

Attendees came from throughout the United States, and internationally.

Alaska, Utah, Colorado, Tennessee, New Jersey were among the states
represented.

The immense success of ANC Grassroots emphasized the groundbreaking
nature of the event and the excitement in the community about
discussing the Armenian Cause and the different ways in which
individuals can work toward its advancement.

~SANC Grassroots will continue beyond the weekend event. It became the
spark, with which the community was empowered to activate and advocate
for the interests of Armenian-Americans and the realization of the
national aspirations of the Armenian people,~T said Ara Khachatourian,
chairman of the ANC Grassroots organizing committee.

The panels covered a broad range of topics, including film and the
arts, homeland and Diaspora issues, transnational justice, stolen
Armenian church properties, and human rights in Turkey.

These panels were accented by workshops that provided avenues by
which attendees could get involved, including through participation
in politics, the use of social and traditional media, education,
and investment.

The response from attendees was very positive, as individuals were
impressed with the breadth, organization, and professionalism of the
whole weekend.

ARMENIENS ET JUIFS DISCUTENT DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN A MOSCOU
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 29 novembre 2011

Le 22 novembre, Moscou a accueilli une reunion des membres des
communautes armeniens et juifs de la Russie dans le cadre du projet
l’Union des Armeniens et des Juifs a Moscou.

Une discussion sur le genocide armenien etait a l’ordre du jour de
la reunion affirment les medias russes.

Lors de la reunion, qui s’est tenue grâce a l’appui organisationnel
du mouvement international sioniste Or Tsian, une presentation de
videos et de photos a eu lieu aboutissant a une discussion sur la
reconnaissance du genocide par la communaute internationale dont
Israël.

Les participants ont note que l’Armenie et Israël profiteront du
renforcement des liens bilateraux.

Pendant la reunion une declaration a ete faite par Oru Tsian qui
reconnaît officiellement le Genocide armenien et projette de suivre
tous les evenements en commemoration des victimes du Genocide.

SPIRITUAL LEADERS OF AZERBAIJAN, RUSSIA AND ARMENIA ADOPT DECLARATION

Trend
Nov 28 2011
Azerbaijan

28 November 2011, 16:24 (GMT+04:00) Following the outcome of a meeting
in Yerevan, the chairman of the Spiritual Department of Caucasian
Muslims Sheik-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, Patriarch of Moscow
and the whole Russia Cyril and Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin
the Second adopted a Declaration stressing the need of a negotiated
solution of the Nagorno Karabakh problem, news agency Novosti-Armenia
reported.

“Both sides declared their adherence to a negotiated resolution of
the Karabakh problem and stated that this decision could be taken only
on the basis of international law,” Patriarch Cyril told journalists
after the meeting.

In this connection, all sides expressed their backing for the efforts
of the OSCE Minsk Group, the Patriarch said. He reminded them that
the spiritual leaders of the three countries had suggested exchanging
prisoners of war and repatriating the bodies of those killed.

If the bloodshed is stopped, a moral and psychological atmosphere will
be changed so that the new opportunities of a negotiated solution to
the problem will emerge, the Patriarch noted.

The Inter-Religious Council is a public organisation created by the
traditional religious unions of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

EU SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC SECTOR AND GOVERNANCE IN ARMENIA

IEWY News

Nov 29 2011

Brussels – Today the European Commission adopted a programme that will
further improve Public Finance Management (PFM) systems in Armenia.

It is the second part of the Annual Action Programme (AAP) for Armenia
for 2011, worth â~B¬24 million. The programme will contribute to the
improvement of public sector transparency and performance, including
the broadening of e-governance systems. Moreover it will assist achieve
regulatory convergence with the EU and international laws and standards
in the areas of trade, for instance improving customs legislation.

European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy,
tefan Fule, commented: “Today’s decision shows that the European
Union stands ready to fulfil its promise to provide political support
and increased assistance both financially and through advice and
technical know-how. The fact that the EU’s assistance to Armenia
grew substantially over the past years is a sign of the Commission’s
commitment to support the ongoing reform efforts as confirmed in the
Council Conclusions on Friday. Our assistance has direct influence on
the everyday life of Armenian citizens, since it aims for instance
to improve data protection and to enhance and broaden e-governance
systems in order to facilitate instance access for citizens to public
databases. ”

Background: The Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2007-2013 covers EC
financial assistance to Armenia under the European Neighbourhood and
Partnership Instrument (ENPI). It is accompanied by the ENPI National
Indicative Programme (NIP) for 2007-2010 whose main priorities are:

Strengthening of Democratic Structures and Good Governance, Support
for Regulatory Reform and Administrative Capacity Building, Support
for Poverty Reduction Efforts.

Within the NIP 2007-2010, an indicative amount of â~B¬98.4 million was
allocated to Armenia from the European Neighbourhood and Partnership
Instrument. For the period of 2011-2013, EU bilateral assistance to
Armenia is considerably increasing. Within the National Indicative
Programme (NIP) 2011-2013 Armenia benefits from an indicative
allocation of â~B¬157 million.

A minimum of â~B¬32 million is earmarked for the Comprehensive
Institution Building Programme to strengthen the core institutions in
the context of Association Agreements. In addition, Armenia continues
to benefit from the ENPI regional and interregional programmes and
a number of thematic programmes such as the European Instrument for
Democracy and Human Rights.

In July 2010, the EU and Armenia launched negotiations on the future
EU-Armenia Association Agreement, which will be the successor agreement
to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. The Association Agreement
will significantly deepen Armenia’s political association and economic
integration with the EU.

Further information: On the Eastern Partnership:

ENPI Info Centre:

On external relations EU – Armenia:

On EU assistance to Armenia:

Contacts : Peter Stano (+32 2 295 74 84) Anca Paduraru (+32 2 296
64 30)

TURKS PREPARE A BIG BOOK ON ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

Times.am
Nov 28 2011
Armenia

According to Turkish media 24-part book will be published, which
tells about Armenian-Turkish history of centuries. The book is named
“Armenian-Turkish relations during the history”. Book is prepared by
the joint efforts of “Degisim” publishing-house, “Saqaria” university
and Professor Enis Shahin. The latter is researcher on Armenian issues.

According to the information Armenian, Russian, Azerbaijani, English,
American and French 361 scientists are included in the work. The
encyclopedia consists of 18 parts. The book has 17.000 pages and
was worked out nearly for 5 years. The book is planned to translate
in English and then in other languages as well. It will be sold
since 2012.

ARMENIAN-POPULATED PROVINCE WAS SOLD TO TURKEY FOR 7 MILLION FRANCS

news.am
Nov 28 2011
Armenia

ISTANBUL. – The Hatay Province (Sanjak of Alexandretta), which had
passed to France after World War I, was given to Turkey, in 1939,
for a mere 7 million francs.

Turkey’s Vatan daily’s correspondent obtained a document, whereby it
became apparent that Turkey’s central bank had paid France 7 million
francs for the Hatay Province. It is noted that it was because of
this money that Hatay Province was handed over to Turkey. The Turkish
president of the time, Ismet Inonu, PM Refik Saydam, and all the
Turkish ministers had signed under the respective agreements.

To note, a considerable number of Armenians used to live in
Hatay Province, but they left their lands after 1939. Hatay’s
Armenian-populated Vakif village, however, exists to this day.

150 CAMIONS ARMENIENS PRIS AU PIEGE A LA FRONTIERE RUSSO-GEORGIENNE
Stephane

armenews.com
lundi 28 novembre 2011
ARMENIE

Au moins 150 vehicules se dirigeant vers l’Armenie sont restes coinces
au principal poste frontalier de la Russie avec la Georgie qui a ete
fermee il y a plus d’une semaine en raison de forte chute de neige.

Les fonctionnaires du gouvernement armenien et les compagnies de
transport privees n’ont pas pû dire quand le passage de Lars sera
rouvert au trafic.

Le ministre des transports et des Communications Manuk Vartanian
a seulement dit que les vehicules qui ont atteint la frontière
devraient etre remorques loin du secteur jusqu’a ce que conditions
meteorologiques s’ameliorent.

” Nous esperons que le nettoyage ne prendra pas longtemps et
le problème sera resolu dans plusieurs jours ” a declare Herbert
Hambardzumian, le president de l’Association Armenienne des Expediteurs
de Cargaison au service armenien de RFE/RL.

” Les conditions sont vraiment mauvaises ” a-t-il dit. ” Il fait très
froid et il n’y a aucun magasin la-bas. Mais nous devons attendre et
voir ce qui arrive “.

Quelques-uns des vehicules pris au piège a Lars appartiennent a la
societe Apaven, une des plus grandes en Armenie. Arsen Ghazarian,
le proprietaire d’Apaven, a dit qu’il envisage de donner un ordre
de retour aux conducteurs et d’atteindre l’Armenie par un service de
bac entre les ports russes et georgiens.

” Si les conditions meteorologiques ne s’ameliorent pas dans un ou
deux jours, nous devrons utiliser les bacs pour nous rendre en Armenie
” a dit M.Ghazarian au service armenien de RFE/RL.

Mais selon Arsen Hambardzumian, les petites societes de transport ne
peuvent pas se permettre d’avoir recours au service de bac maintenant.

” Cela leur coûterait au moins 1500$ par camion ” a-t-il explique. ”
Cela n’engendra pas seulement des depenses complementaires, mais les
obligerait a faire unze nouvelle declaration douanière “.

Le passage du Haut Lars a longtemps ete la seule voie terrestre relaint
l’Armenie a la Russie et l’Europe. Il a ete ferme par Moscou en 2006
et rouvert au debut de 2010 malgre les relations extremement tendues
entre les russes et les georgiens.

Le passage est principalement employe par les exportateurs armeniens
de produits agricoles.

Manuk Vartanian a dit aux journalistes que les gouvernements
armeniens et georgiens se sont recemment mis d’accord pour fonder
une joint-venture qui se specialisera dans le degagement de la route
montagneuse pendant les mois d’hiver.