Author: nina hovnanian

HEGHINE BISHARYAN: “THE COMING WEEK WAS VERY INTERESTING AND FULL OF EVENTS”

Noyan Tapan

07.10.2011

The current week was very interesting and full of events. The head
of NA “The rule of law” party, the vice-president of the same party
Heghine Bisharyan expressed such opinion during the short conversation
on October 7.

According to her, first of all we may say that one of the interesting
political events of this week is the official visit of French President
to Armenia which witnesses the existing “good and warm relations”
between the two countries.

According to the deputy of “The rule of law” party the next important
event is a footbal game of Armenia-Macedonia held in Yerevan.

And the last important event is a number of interesting projects
discussed at the sittings in the National Assembly which last 4 days
from which she partuclarly stressed the bill about “Libararies” on
the occassion of the day of Librarians. Congratulating the libarians
on the proffessional day H. Bisharyan expressed confidence that the
project will enter into force which will promote the “strenghtening
of the system”, many new modern tools will be used and as a result
the problems that the system face will be solved.

NIKOLAS SARKOZY HOPES TURKEY TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DURING HIS PRESIDENCY

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 7, 2011
YEREVAN

The collective denial is more serious than the individual. Naturally,
it does not mean that the individual denial is acceptable, President
of France Nikolas Sarkozy said at a joint news conference with the
President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.

According to him, if such a big state like Turkey has recognized the
black pages of its history including the Armenian Genocide in the
beginning of the 20th century, France, as well as Armenia, would have
considered that it is a notable step forward and would have perceived
it as a gesture of peace and reconciliation. “There cannot be long
reconciliation by putting under doubt the sufferings. There cannot
be reconciliation by rejecting the historic facts”, Sarkozy stressed.

The President of France said if big state like Turkey, that at any
occasion showed its force and courage, found resources for doing this
gesture, France would consider that its legislature that recognizes
the Armenian Genocide is enough. “But it is not so at present and
obviously the Armenian Genocide is being put under doubt”, Sarkozy
said, pointing out that France considered that it must go further in
respect of changes in the legislation to make the denial criminally
punishable. “My response is clear”, President of France said.

As to the timeframe, Sarkozy noted that France is not putting
deadlines. “It is not frank and it is not a way to reach reconciliation
between neighbors. But in this case the time is not endless: I think
there was enough time to think from 1915 till 2011”, Sarkozy stressed,
voicing hope that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey
would take place during his presidency.

He also expressed hope that the Turkish public and government will
display enough wisdom for recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

SNIPER UNITS TO BE FORMED IN RUSSIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 7, 2011 – 14:42 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Special sharpshooter units are being formed in
Russia’s ground forces brigades, Defense Ministry spokesman Lt. Col.
Sergey Vlasov said on Friday, October 7.

The sniper units have already been set up in the ground forces and now
they are being manned. “We are establishing a phased, multi-tiered
system for selecting and training candidates, to teach them how
to work as part of a unit and independently. All snipers will have
special training once every three or four years,” Vlasov said.

“Sniper units will be equipped with a number of different rifles with
different characteristics,” he said.

They will also have special target acquisition equipment, including
portable lasers, binoculars and devices for computing ballistics data,
RIA Novosti reported.

FRANCE DOESN’T SEE TURKEY IN EU

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 7, 2011 – 12:27 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – France doesn’t see Turkey in the European Union,
French President Nikolas Sarkozy said.

“Turkey is a kind of bridge between the East and the West. Being a part
of Asia Minor, it has an important role in the world but this role
is not for the European Union,” Mr. Sarkozy told a press conference
in Yerevan.

“I have been of the opinion for a long time and there are no reasons
to change it,” he said.

FRENCH PRESIDENT DOES NOT SEE TURKEY IN THE EROPEAN UNION
Karen Ghazaryan

“Radiolur”
07.10.2011 14:25

Having a closed border is unacceptable, French President Nicolas
Sarkozy said, adding that “France will always support the peacemaking
efforts of the Armenian President.”

“Turkey serves as a bridge between the East and the West. Therefore,
it can be a great role-player,” Sarkozy told a press conference in
Yerevan, adding, however, that he does not see Turkey in the EU.

The French President considers that the more Armenia and Azerbaijan
negotiate within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, the better.

“This will reduce the likelihood of war,” he said. Sarkozy added
that France will aspire to establish peace in the region, and will
simultaneously assist Armenia in the construction of a new nuclear
power plant.

Nicolas Sarkozy stressed that France values the traditionally friendly
relations with Armenia. “France lent a helping hand to Armenia after
the Genocide, and today Armenia can always count on our support.”

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said the reciprocal visits of the
Presidents of France and Armenia overlap with the celebrations of the
20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, adding that this symbolic
fact speaks for the high-level of relations between Armenia and France.

RA PRESIDENT BELIEVES EU’S ENERGY PROGRAMS MUST NOT FEED WAR

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 7, 2011
YEREVAN

“We treat the wish of the European countries to ensure energy security,
diversification of energy bearers and sources with understanding”,
President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said at a joint news conference
with President of France Nikolas Sarkozy, referring to the question
about his attitude toward the fact that Azerbaijan makes use of the
EU energy programs to ensure financing for acquiring weaponry.

“We also expect the same EU member-states to pay attention to our
country’s security and our region’s stability”, Serzh Sargsyan said.

The leader of the country also stressed that everyone wants the EU
to implement programs as the regional cooperation component may play
an essential role in the reinforcement of stability, “but programs
should ensure the countries’ equal development”.

“These programs must serve peace not war. They must not be sources
for feeding a new war. This is our approach and I think it is fair
and willing”, Serzh Sargsyan said.

GALUST SAHAKYAN SAYS FAVORABLE CONDITIONS CREATED FOR INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF NK

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 7, 2011
YEREVAN

If years ago we were thinking how to make our ideas, issues reach
the international community, now all the states recognize them, head
of the faction of the Republican Party of Armenia Galust Sahakyan
told at a briefing today, referring to the issue on international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

“Almost all the states are expressing it but they do not register it
legally stemming from diplomatic issues”, Sahakyan said, bring as an
example the USA where every candidate recognized the Armenian Genocide
but becoming presidents did not give state solution to the issue.

Speaking about the international recognition of Nagorno Karabakh,
the NA parliamentarian said progress has already been registered in
the resolutions on the self-determination of people and favorable
conditions are being crated for us. “But it is not the issue that
will be solved tomorrow or the other day”, Sahakyan said.

TURKEY INDIGNANT OVER SARKOZY’S STATEMENT ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 7, 2011 – 17:39 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Turkey said France should “confront its colonial
past before giving lessons to others on how to face history,” in
an angry response Friday, October 7, to a call by President Nicolas
Sarkozy for Ankara to recognize the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

Sarkozy, in Armenia Thursday, challenged Turkey – which is
seeking membership of the European Union – to face up to its past
and threatened to pass a law in France that would make denying the
Genocide a crime.

“Collective negation is a more serious problem than an individual one.

Unless Turkey follows the suit of other great nations in recognizing
the Armenian Genocide before yearend, France will take serious steps,
including criminalization of Genocide denial,” Mr. Sarkozy said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a news conference:
“Those who will not be able to face their own history for having
carried out colonialism for centuries, for treating foreigners as
second-class people, do not have the right to teach Turkey a history
lesson or call for Turkey to face its history.”

Davutoglu said Turkey and Armenia “were working together on ways to
normalize ties and Sarkozy’s comments would have a negative impact
on reconciliation efforts,” Reuters reports.

CENSUS IN ARMENIA OCTOBER 12-21
Anna Balyan

“Radiolur”
07.10.2011 15:24

A census will be conducted all over the territory of Armenia October
12-21. The questionnaire includes 33 individual questions about
the sex, age, birthplace, citizenship, tnationality, mother tongue,
knowledge of foreign languages, religion, marital status, employment,
etc.

No passport data will be recorded, Head of the Census and Statistics
Department the National Statistical Service Karine Kulumjyan told a
press conference today.

The whole information will be kept secret, the National Statistical
Service guarantees. This is required by the UN Charter and the Law
of the Republic on Armenia on Census. The personal data will not be
used even by judicial bodies.

The preliminary results of the census are expected to be published
in February 2012, the final results will be known by the end of 2012.

The Armenian Government and the donor organizations have allocated
1.5 billion for the conduct of the census.

The previous census was conducted in Armenia in October 2001.

According to its results, the number of permanent population of the
country was 3 million 213 thousand.

AZERBAIJAN RESPONDS TO SARKOZY’S ARMENIAN GENOCIDE STATEMENTS

epress.am
10.07.2011

Azerbaijan does not agree with French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s
statements regarding the Armenian Genocide an the opening of the
Armenia-Turkey border, said head of the public and political department
of Azerbaijan’s presidential administration Ali Hasanov.

“Each of these issues is a specific aspect of international politics.

Azerbaijan has always supported Turkey’s interests in processes taking
place in the South Caucasus, as well as in international affairs,”
he said, reports Baku-based news agency Trend.

According to Hasanov, Baku doesn’t share the French government’s
position, which include Sarkozy’s statements on the Armenian Genocide
and the opening of the Armenia-Turkey borders.

Recall, Sarkozy urged Turkey on Friday to recognize the First World
War-era massacres of Armenians as genocide before his term ends in
May 2012.

“From 1915 to 2011, it seems to be enough [time] for reflection,”
Sarkozy told reporters in Yerevan on the second day of his visit
to Armenia.

Speaking alongside his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan, Sarkozy
noted, however, that “it is not up to France to give an ultimatum
to anyone.”

Sarkozy on Thursday urged Turkey to “revisit its history” over the
killings of hundreds of thousands of Armenians under the Ottoman
Empire, calling its refusal to recognize the deaths as genocide
“unacceptable,” AFP reports.

The French president said that if Turkey did not make this “gesture of
peace” and “step towards reconciliation,” he would consider proposing
the adoption of a law criminalizing denial of the killings as genocide.