Author: nina hovnanian

PROTEST ACTION DEDICATED TO MEMORY OF SUMGAIT VICTIMS HELD IN VIENNA

18:00, 25 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, ARMENPRESS: Joint with Armenian Embassy in
Austria, memorial event, dedicated to the memory of Sumgait massacre
victims and 25th anniversary of Artsakh movement, took place on
February 24 in ceremonial hall of Armenian Apostolic church community
in Vienna. Memorial service by Patriarchal delegate of the Central
Europe and Sweden took place in Armenian Apostolic St. Hripsime church.

Armenian Ambassador to Austria Arman Kirakosyan, Armenia NA deputies
Artashes Geghamyan, Stepan Demirchyan and Khachik Harutyunyan were
present at the event.

As Armenpress was informed from press, informational and public
relations department of Armenian MFA, Arman Kirakosyan, Artashes
Geghamyan, Austrian writer, translator, and witness of Artsakh Movement
Herbert Maurer, member of community department Hambardzum Hartunyan,
members of youth organizations and representatives of Austrian society
and press issued speeches.

Exhibition of photo and documentary ratifications on the response
of German and Austrian press to 1988 Sumgait massacre has been also
organized in frames of the event. National hymns of Armenia and
Austria were presented during event.

The event was concluded with the rally of more than 100 representatives
of Austrian Armenian organizations, walking to the central square of
Vienna, Stephansplatz.

A protest action with posters, Armenian and Artsakh flags as well as
informational materials on Sumgait massacre was held.

CEC ANNOUNCES FINAL PRESIDENTIAL VOTE COUNT AMID BOOS

February 25, 2013 – 15:59 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Central Election Commission (CEC) has released
the final results of the February 18 elections in Armenia, with
incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan gaining the majority 58,64%
(861 373) of votes.

The remaining ballots were cast as follows: Heritage party leader,
ex-Foreign Minister of Armenia Raffi Hovannisian 539 693 (36,74%)
votes; ex-Foreign Minister of NKR Arman Melikyan – 3 520 (0,26%)
votes; ex-Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan 31 643 (2,15%) votes;
National Self-Determination Union leader Paruyr Hayrikyan 18 096
(1,26%) votes; Radio Hay director Andrias Ghukasyan 8 329 (0,57%)
votes; literature expert Vardan Sedrakyan 6 210 (0,42%) votes.

While announcing the final results, CEC chair was loudly booed by
the public.

ARMENIA, ARTSAKH WIN BEST NEW EXHIBITOR BOOTH AWARD AT LOS ANGELES TIMES TRAVEL SHOW

16:46 25.02.2013

The exhibitor booth of Armenia and Artsakh was named the best at the
Los Angeles Times Travel Show 2013 held February 22-24. The award
was handed to the Armenian National Competitiveness Foundation.

The Armenian booth attracted unprecedented interest all through the
exhibition thanks to the efforts of the National Competitiveness
Foundation and the Armenian Consulate General in Los Angeles.

Newsletters, films, video materials were distributed among the
visitors, Armenian folk dances were presented and national dishes
were served.

Taking into consideration the growing interest towards the Armenian
culture and attaching importance to the expansion of cooperation,
the Armenian National Competitiveness Foundation intends to organize
the visit of leading American media to Armenia this year to promote
the development of tourism.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE DOCUMENTARY ON KHOJALY EVENTS GATHERS AROUND 210.000 VIEWERS

15:32, 25 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, ARMENPRESS: “Between hunger and fire. Power at
the expense of lives” a two-series documentary, released in February
2012, is now available to the English-speaking audience as well through
a YouTube Channel (). The
two-series documentary film is about tragic events which took place
in Nagorno Karabakh between November 1991 and February 1992.

The research group, composed of historians, retired politicians
and investigative journalists, presents compelling evidence about
that period, sheds a new light on the blockade of Stepanakert – the
nation’s capital — as well as on activities of the political elite
of Azerbaijan which let the tragic events of Khojaly (now Ivanyan)
happen. The archival materials, assembled during the investigation,
questions a range of traditional speculations and manipulations by
Azerbaijani government, the media and ‘expert community.
As Armenpress reports, the English translation of the documentary
attracted unprecedented interest among the international community. In
around a week, more than 210.000 people watched the film on
YouTube channel. ()
The original, Russian version is available on YouTube either
(). The facts and figures,
shown in the documentary, are recollected from archival materials
found in diverse, including Azerbaijani, sources, whereas residents
of Stepanakert and Karabakh Defense Army soldiers and officers speak
of the blockade of nation’s capital and the specifics of the operation
to breach the blockade.

Rich of first-time ever released materials,the documentary also
features a rare interview of first president of Azerbaijan, Ayaz
Mutalibov, where the latter argues the Khojaly tragedy was abused to
topple him.

Overall, the film shows how the Aliyev regime, step-by-step, toppled
political opponents and seized the power in Azerbaijan and has been
ruling the country for two decades now, silencing all the courageous
individuals that dared to tell the truth about the incidents in
Khojaly village and around Aghdam region.

The film was created on the initiative of Armenia’s President Public
Relations and Information Center.

HOVIK AND “PACK” FURIOUS

Story from Lragir.am News:

14:57 25/02/2013

At the beginning of the NA session today, Heritage members Zaruhi
Postanjyan and Ruben Hakobyan, and ANC parliamentary group member
Nikol Pashinyan delivered speeches on the elections. Nikol Pashinyan
noted that February 18 election resulted in a political crisis, but
the National Assembly’s agenda hosts no issue in this relation, but
only questions which have nothing in common with the reality, while
other processes are happening in the streets. He proposed inviting the
CEC chairman and trying to find solutions to the political crisis. He
reminded that he didn’t support Raffi Hovannisian, but it is evident
people voted him.

NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan got angry when Pashinyan mentioned the
street events and proposed to gather and discuss the post-election
processes. Abrahamyan said that they respect the citizens who voted
Raffi Hovannisian asking to respect those who voted Serzh Sargsyan. He
welcomed the Western technologies Raffi Hovannisian used and said he
does not understand the post-election processes. He said that everyone
understands that those votes are not in Raffi Hovannisian’s favor,
but the opposition in general.

Ruben Hakobyan agreed with Hovik Abrahamyan’s proposal to discuss
the events saying that there are many incomprehensible things such as
how Hovannisian received the majority of votes, but Serzh Sargsyan won.

Nikol Pashinyan said ready to respect the 800.000 people but first,
he says, it is necessary to see whether they exist. According to
Nikol Pashinyan, Serzh Sargsyan lost in 7 out of 10 regions of Armenia.

Vice-Chairman Eduard Sharmazanov tried to correct Hovik Abrahamyan
saying that the parliamentary discussion won’t challenge the outcome of
the presidential elections. “Serzh Sargsyan has been elected president
through free and fair elections”, said Sharmazanov.

MP Manvel Badeyan called on oppositional MPs not to distract them
because they are doing a serious work.

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN PROMISES TO HOLD HIS SECOND MEETING WITH SERZH SARGSYAN IN PRESENCE OF JOURNALISTS

ARMINFO
Tuesday, February 26, 16:45

The USA, China, European countries that have recognized the results
of presidential election in Armenia should respect the will of the
Armenian people who won the election, Heritage Party Leader Raffi
Hovannisian said during his meeting with the residents of Masis. To
note, Hovannisian gained the second place in the presidential race.

In Masis, like in other towns, Hovannisian demanded resignation of the
local authorities and said that the next destination was Ashtarak –
“the center of electoral fraud”.

Hovannisian shook hands with the residents of Masis and thanked the
law-enforcers for their work. He added that he will attentively follow
whether the law-enforcers exert pressure on the protesters or not.

A noteworthy thing happened in Masis. An old man, Vardan by name,
came up to Hovannisian and asked why he refused to hold the meeting
with President Serzh Sargsyan in the presence of journalists. Then
the old man continued: “When Sargsyan asked you why you were in low
spirits, you should have replied: because you have stolen my votes”.

Hovannisian assured the residents of Masis that in case of another
meeting with Sargsyan he will insist on the presence of journalists.

THE INTERNATIONAL COURT WILL ONCE UNCOVER THE FALSIFICATION OF KHOJALY EVENTS
Alisa Gevorgyan

“Radiolur”
17:02 26.02.2013

“I do hope that the independent international court will one uncover
the falsification of Khojaly, which Azerbaijan speculates for political
reasons,” said Vova Vardanov, participant of the Khojaly liberation
operation. Freedom fighter Mkrtich Tonoyan said he regrets that we
speak about Khojaly only when we have to counter the Azerbaijan’s
bluster, ignoring the strategic significance of this operation.

Starting from spring 1991 the settlements of Nagorno Karabakh were
being attacked by Azerbaijani OMON (Special Purpose Mobile Unit). To
de-blockade the only airport near Khojaly the Armenian side organized
military actions on February 25-26, 1992.

The self-defense forces of NKR opened a corridor to allow peaceful
Azerbaijanis leave the city, previously warning the Azerbaijani side.

This fact has been confirmed on many occasions even by Azerbaijani
officials, namely the then President Ayaz Mutalibov.

Nevertheless, the Azerbaijani side failed to undertake anything to
evacuate the peaceful population from the zone of military actions.

Moreover, the peaceful residents were killed near Aghdam.

In the course of the past 21 years Azerbaijan has been speculating
these events to conceal its own crimes, accusing the Armenian side
of massacring the peaceful population.

“We’ve never been beasts and we’ve always dismiss those with such
inclinations from our ranks,” Vova Vardanov said.

He avoids reading anything about the Khojaly events; he has seen
the truth with his own eyes, and is eager to present it to the
international court.

“We never received an order to open fire at the peaceful population.

Moreover, we opened corridor to allow people to leave the city. The
same approach was used during the liberation of Shushi,” Mkrtich
Tonoyan told reporters.

“We possessed information that Azerbaijanis were transporting weapons
through the corridor opened for the peaceful population. But even
then we refrained from shooting at the cars carrying weapons not to
frighten the civilians,” he added.

By speculating the Khojaly events, official Baku is trying to deviate
the attention of the international community from the Armenian
massacres of Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad and other settlements of
Azerbaijan, as well as the border regions of Nagorno Karabakh,
particularly the village of Maragha.

Unfortunately, the international community has not yet given a proper
assessment to all these crimes committed by Azerbaijan.

KHOJALU IS AZERBAIJAN’S LIE TO CONCEAL SUMGAIT CRIME

Aysor.am
February 26, 2013

“We must shout about the Sumgait genocide. The time of keeping silence
is over as we have been left alone with our pain,” Chairman of the
Assembly of Azerbaijani Armenians Grigory Aivazian said at the meeting
with journalists today when he spoke about the 25th anniversary of
the Sumgait massacres.

According to him, Azerbaijani Armenians paid a dear price for the
Karabakh movement, while Azerbaijan tells lies about Khojalu in order
to conceal the Sumgait crime.

“By releasing and glorifying the murderer Ramil Safarov, Azerbaijan
has admitted responsibility for genocide committed against Azerbaijani
Armenians in 1988-1990,” Aivazian said.

He said they have asked various government bodies of Armenia,
including the National Assembly, to recognize the actions committed
against Azerbaijani Armenians as genocide.

“The Azerbaijanis shouts about the so-called Khojalu genocide all
over the world, but what have we done so far?” G. Aivazian asked.

ASSEMBLY OF ARMENIANS OF EUROPE FORUM TO SUSPEND ERRONEOUS INTERPRETATION OF KHOJALY EVENTS

15:24, 26 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, ARMENPRESS. Forum of Assembly of Armenians of
Europe is intended to suspend the pass of the bill on “the Khojaly
genocide” in the Czech Parliament. The Chairman of the Forum of
Assembly of Armenians of Europe Ashot Grigoryan stated this during the
press conference held on February 26. As reports “Armenpress” Ashot
Grigoryan highlighted: “We shall suspend the pass of the bill in the
Czech Parliament. It won’t be accepted.” In addition he stated that
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Czech Parliament accepted
the bill. Also Grigoryan noted that responding their application on
the inadmissibility of the course of events the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of the Czech Republic stated that the issue was not agreed
upon with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and
that it entirely contradicts the foreign policy of the country.

Grigoryan highly evaluated the potential of the Armenian Diaspora
for fighting against the Azerbaijani jugglery in the sphere of
international media.

STRIKING STUDENTS: “AT LEAST REPLACE THAT TATTERED TRI-COLOR”
Narek Aleksanyan

Students now in the second day of an open-ended boycott of Yerevan
colleges and universities, wound their way from the State University
to the Teachers College.

Making a stop at the Institute of Physical Education, the marchers
called on students there to join them.

The marchers also called on the school administration to replace the
tattered Armenian tri-color flying from atop the main annex.

Here too, some teachers came outside to “greet” the striking students,
demanding that they not obstruct classes inside.