Author: nina hovnanian

NEW WEBSITE CHRONICLES 1987-1992 ETHNIC CLEANSING OF ARMENIANS IN AZERBAIJAN
Narek Aleksanyan

15:23, January 15, 2013

A new website dedicated to the ethnic cleansing of Armenians in
Azerbaijan from 1987-1992 called KarabakhRecords.info was publicly
launched today in Yerevan.

Project coordinator Marina Grigoryan urged all those wishing archival
materials about those tragic events to feel free to upload photos, eye
witness accounts and video clips from the new website since the
information is reliable.

The site was created within the scope of the “Ordinary Genocide”
project of the Public Relations and Press Division of the RA
President’s Office.

Also on hand at the launch was Larisa Alaverdyan, Armenia’s first
Human Rights Defender, who was born in Baku.

She lamented the fact that those Armenians who suffered in Azerbaijan
have not been adequately defended, neither internationally or even in
Armenia.

Alaverdyan said that the political elite in Armenia hadn’t developed
to the level necessary to grasp the importance of defending the rights
of Armenians subjected to Azerbaijani genocidal policies which are in
direct contravention of the U.N. Convention on Genocide.

ROBERT KOCHARYAN: “THE FIGHT FOR POWER BETWEEN TWO LONGTIME COMPANIONS WAS UNACCEPTABLE FOR ME”

Tuesday 15 January 2013 11:27

Exclusive interview of the second Armenian President to Mediamax

– Mr. Kocharyan, the public expected you to take part in presidential
elections, but it did not happen. Why did you decide so and how do
you assess the current political situation in the country?

– The political situation is so dull that the only reason for this
interview is my promise to give it. Of course, I know that there were
some expectations of my possible participation in upcoming elections.

Although I have never spoken of my intention to participate in
elections, anyhow I deem it necessary to give some explanations. I
would single out three circumstances which forced me to refrain from
returning to active politics.

First: the fight for power between two natives of Karabakh, longtime
companions, was unacceptable for me. It would make it difficult
for many people to make a choice and would become a topic for
various speculations. Besides, I myself have chosen the incumbent
President as a successor, and his desire to run for the second term
is understandable.

Second: I wouldn’t like to participate in the formation of a format
of three Presidents fighting for power, which is extremely unpleasant,
and I believe very harmful for the country.

Third: the search for a political compromise in Armenia has transformed
into small-retail political bargaining. This is not what I would like
to spend my time, knowledge and experience on.

These factors are certainly not fundamental, but I think they are
very weighty from emotional and ethic points of view. This is why
I gave brief interviews and only in cases when it would be simply
impossible not to react to the situation.

– And what about fundamental factors? In your previous interviews
you spoke about such factors as the migration, the economic situation
and political competition. How would you assess today’s situation?

– The fundamental factors unfortunately do not inspire optimism as
before. The population outflow from Armenia doesn’t reduce, and this
is not a labor migration. The tendency is extremely dangerous given a
low birthrate and aging population. It is not accidental that migration
is called country’s health cardiogram.

The economy began to grow, but will it be a steady growth with
decreasing investments, and how much will it be conditioned by
increasing debt commitments? Even with an expected GDP growth of
7% in 2012 we won’t reach the level of 2008 in comparable figures
(98%), with over a three-fold increase in the ratio of public debt
to GDP (with the deteriorating structure of the debt). By the way,
the restoration of railway communication through Abkhazia, which is
quite possible after recent transformations in Georgia, could be a
serious positive stimulus for our economy.

As for the political competition, it became like a puppet show
ahead of elections, which cannot contribute to the effective work
of authorities and generates apathy in the society. It’s well known
that without competition the authorities sleep peacefully but people,
as a rule, live badly.

It’s extremely difficult to reverse these trends by measured efforts
of the government. They need something more, a mobilizing society
which would inspire hope and impel to act. I hope the authorities
will meet these challenges.

ARMENIA BECOMES ONE OF THE VICTIMS OF “RED OCTOBER” CYBER CAMPAIGN?

Tuesday 15 January 2013 10:34

Yerevan/Mediamax/. “Kaspersky Lab” published a report on investigation
of a large-scale “Red October” campaign held by cyber criminals for
spying diplomatic, governmental an scientific organizations in various
countries of the world.

The report reads that the main objective of the attackers was to
gather intelligence from the compromised organizations, which included
computer systems, personal mobile devices and network equipment. The
cyber attackers mostly focused on the republics of former USSR,
Eastern European countries and a number of states in Central Asia.

Based on the data provided with the help of Kaspersky Security Network
(KSN), the company worked out a list of the countries most affected
by Backdoor.Win32.Sputnik.

According to the list, 10 infections were detected in Armenia, 15 –
in Azerbaijan and 38 – in Russia.

“As of now, we don’t have any facts indicating direct participation
of any state in the attack. The information stolen by the attackers
was obviously extremely confidential and involves various geopolitical
data in particular which may be used on a state level. Such information
may be put to sales on the “black market” and sold to anyone who will
offer a higher price”, the report reads.

HRAPARAK: KOCHARYAN BANNED FROM HUNTING IN HORADIZ RESERVE

11:33 15/01/2013 ” DAILY PRESS

“Robert Kocharyan, the “chief hunter” of Armenia, who is not running
for president, continues to keep a healthy lifestyle like a young
pensioner. Rumors say Armenia’s second President recently traveled
to his native land, Nagorno-Karabakh, by a helicopter, for hunting in
Horadiz, but, strangely, his helicopter was forced to fly back, with
the reasoning that hunting is strictly prohibited in that area. It
is unclear what alternative hunting area was offered to Kocharyan,”
Hraparak writes.

Source: Panorama.am

SERGEY MINASYAN: IVANISHVILI’S VISIT TO HAVE IMPACT ON CHAKHALYAN’S CASE

Panorama.am
13:37 15/01/2013

Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s upcoming visit to
Armenia will have major significance not only for Armenian-Georgian
relations but also in the regional context, Caucasus Institute Deputy
Director, political analyst Sergey Minasyan told reporters in Yerevan.

According to him, the new Georgian authorities try to introduce
changes into the country’s foreign policy, including to improve
relations with Russia. There is also some dynamics in
Georgian-Azerbaijani relations, which is not so positive, said the
expert.

“During the upcoming visit of Georgia’s PM, discussions will take
place around some rather serious issues, including those related to
the region and to the problems of Georgian-Armenians,” Mr Minasyan
said.

Either before or after Ivanishvili’s visit to Armenia, some
developments are expected to take place regarding the case of
Georgian-Armenian activist Vahagn Chakhalyan whose name has been
removed from the list of prisoners who will be set free following the
adoption of amnesty law in Georgia, Mr Minasyan noted, which will be
seen as Georgia’s positive message to Armenia.

IRAN’S EAST AZARBAIJAN GOVERNOR-GENERAL MEETS WITH SYUNIK GOVERNOR IN TABRIZ

12:43 15/01/2013 ” ECONOMY

We seek expansion of economic cooperation with Syunik region,
Governor-General of Iran’s East Azarbaijan province Ahmad Alireza
Beigi said during a meeting with Governor of Armenia’s Syunik region
Suren Khachatryan in Tabriz, Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA said.

Noting that the presidents of Iran and Armenia seek further
strengthening and expansion of bilateral relations, Ahmad Alireza
Beigi said that the governors of the two countries should also work
in this direction.

Commenting on cooperation between Iran’s East Azarbaijan province and
Armenia’s Syunik region, Suren Khachatryan, for his part, noted that
Syunik also wanted to deepen trade and economic ties with Tabriz.

Syunik Governor added that Iran had always been a good ally of Armenia,
and that this friendship would be maintained.

Source: Panorama.am

RUSSIA, ARMENIA TO DEVELOP MILITARY-TECHNICAL COOPERATION

tert.am
15.01.13

Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked his cabinet of ministers
to launch negotiations with Armenia over developing military-technical
cooperation.

A relevant draft document is available on an official legal portal,
according to RIA Novosti. Under a presidential decree, the Russian
government has been instructed to sign an agreement with the given
country upon completing negotiations.

Iranian Government News
December 25, 2012 Tuesday

Iran, Armenia call for comprehensive cooperation

Tehran

The official news agency of Iran (IRNA) has issued following news:

Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs Abbas Araqchi on
Tuesday called for expansion of all-out relations and cooperation with
Armenia.

He made the remarks in a meeting with Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister
Shavarsh Kocharyan.

The meeting was held in the context of regular, twice a year,
consultatiions committee to review mutual and the regional
developments.

The two deputy foreign ministers discussed various political,
economic, cultural, consular and legal issues and the situation in
Syria and Karabakh.

Araqchi is scheduled to confer with Armenian foreign minister and
minister of energy and natural resources on issues of mutual
interests.

Araqchi arrived in Yerevan on Monday afternoon in a series of regular
diplomatic shuttles to consult with Armenian officials on regional
developments.

The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Armenia have expanded
political, and economic cooperation and commerce, energy and cultural
ties in recent years.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan visited Iran this year and called
for expansion of cooperation between the two countries.

Interfax, Russia
Dec 25 2012

Karabakh conflict talks entered stagnation in 2012 – Azeri president

BAKU. Dec 25

The year 2012 has been negative from the point of view of efforts
aimed at settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azeri President Ilham
Aliyev said.

“The negotiating process entered a period of stagnation this year. In
our opinion, the main reason is the Armenian side’s intention to
cement the existing status quo in the Karabakh conflict,” Aliyev told
the Rossiya 24 television station on Monday.

Armenia is unwilling to resolve the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh
because in this case it would have to “de-occupy both Nagorno-Karabakh
and the seven neighboring districts where Armenians never lived and
which the Azeri population was forced to leave,” he said.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for Armenia to justify its
occupation of these territories, the president said.

“That is why changing the status quo is a key condition for settling
the conflict,” Aliyev said.

The present situation is unacceptable both for Azerbaijan and Armenia, he said.

“If they calculate the mid-term prospect in terms of the balance of
forces in the region, they will see clearly that the situation will
get even more disastrous within the next 5-10 years. If they want the
current population of Nagorno-Karabakh to continue living there in
peace and security, they need to start to withdraw the occupation
forces from the region,” the Azeri president said.

Aliyev spoke positively of a statement made by the leaders of the OSCE
Minsk Group member states, who confirmed the unacceptability of the
existing status quo.

“If one hopes to change this status quo, it is necessary to begin
de-occupying the Azeri territories. It will give fresh impetus to the
negotiating process,” he said.

Aliyev called on the mediators to play a more proactive role both in
the peace process and security measures.

tm rb

Voice of America News
December 25, 2012

Armenian PM: Syrian Refugees Plan to Stay

by Jeff Seldin

It started as a trickle. Now it is a flow.

When the fighting began in Syria, some of the country’s Syrian
Armenians began to head to Armenia, but as the fighting has
intensified so has the number of those looking to their ancestral
homeland. Now, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan says there are about
7,000 Syrian Armenians in Armenia and that many are losing hope of
ever going back.

“As the fighting continues, Syrians in Armenia begin making plans for
the future,” Sargsyan said in an exclusive interview with VOA’s
Armenian service. “Recently we met with Syrian Armenians at the
Armenian president’s office. Many Syrian Armenians are interested in
moving their businesses to Armenia.”

Most the refugees are from Syria’s commercial hub of Aleppo, home to
an estimated 80,000 of the country’s more than 100,000 mostly
Christian Syrian Armenians. Many of them located to Syria in the early
1900s, fleeing the Ottoman Empire.

Some left in a hurry, grabbing only a handful of items. Others packed
as much as they could carry, traveling in convoys for several days,
through northern Syria and Turkey to get to the Armenian border.

Sargsyan says the longer they stay, the more they feel that staying in
Armenia is their only choice.

“The challenges in front of us are helping them in transferring
finances, moving equipment, getting bank credit and assistance in
working in Armenia,” he said.

A Syrian-Armenian family waits at the departure gate at Zvartnots
Airport in Yerevan, Armenia, December 2012. (VOA/D. Markosian)

Syrian-Armenians at Zvartnots Airport in Yerevan, Armenia, December
2012. (VOA/D. Markosian)

A Syrian-Armenian national holds his Syrian and Armenian passports at
the Zvartnots Airport, December 2012. (VOA/D. Markosian)

Students outside the Cilician School in Yerevan, Armenia, December
2012. (VOA/D. Markosian)

Students at the Cilician School, which was opened in Yerevan to allow
Syrian-Armenian students to follow a Syrian curriculum at an Armenian
state school, December 2012. (VOA/D. Markosian)

Students at the Cilician School in Yerevan, Armenia, December 2012.
(VOA/D. Markosian)

Workers load humanitarian aid for Syria at Zvartnots Airport in
Yerevan, Armenia, December 2012. (VOA/D. Markosian)

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has promised the Syrian Armenians
his government will do whatever it can to help them for as long as
necessary.

Armenia has already eased visa requirements and has set up a school in
Yerevan, free of charge, that teaches the Syrian curriculum so that
students do not fall behind in their studies. It has also been helping
to house refugees who do not have relatives in Armenia with whom they
can stay.

Still, as the flow of refugees grows, so does the strain on Armenia’s resources.

The International Monetary Fund’s most recent outlook – October 2012 –
put Armenia’s unemployment rate at 19 percent, forecasting the jobless
rate will remain above 17 percent at least through 2017. And even with
the economy slowly gaining steam following a dramatic drop during the
financial crisis, the World Bank says poverty remains a problem.

Armenia’s government has been spending money on targeted social
programs and on increased pensions, hoping a slowly improving economy
will ease the burden. Still, the flow of refugees from Syria,
especially those who owned their own businesses, may pose another
obstacle.

According to the World Bank, more than 12 percent of Armenia’s economy
depends on remittances. Some of those payments came from the diaspora
community in Syria.

For now, Armenia remains determined to do what it can for the refugees.

“We are trying to find solutions to all their social and economic
needs,” the prime minister told VOA.