Author: nina hovnanian

ASHOT MANUCHARYAN: “OSKANIAN’S CASE” – IS AN ATTEMPT TO NEUTRALIZE RUSSIA’S INFLUENCE IN ARMENIA

ARMINFO
Thursday, October 11, 15:37

With a help of “Oskanian’s case” the USA is trying to neutralize
Russia’s influence in Armenia, and in particular, in the “Prosperous
Armenia” party, the former adviser of the first president of Armenia,
Ashot Manucharyan, said at today’s press-conference.

“Armenia is at the most important position in the EurAsian corridor.

And Moscow and Washington have been trying to gain over Yerevan
using all possible means for that. In this case, Oskanian is a
representative of a western mentality, whereas Prosperous Armenia
Party represents a Russian force. However, at present Russia has
been losing its positions, as the USA using the “Oskanian’s case”
is forcing members of the PAP to re-orient to the West”, – he said.

Asked if Oskanian will run for president, Manucharyan replied that
this question should be addressed to Russia’s and US ambassadors to
Armenia. He thinks that for US Ambassador to Armenia, John Heffern,
there is no problem that can’t be settled, including the problem of
political persecution of Oskanian. For this reason, the USA does not
want suspension of the given case.

To recall, US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern had issued a statement
on the case of Vartan Oskanian. “I have been asked for the US views
on yesterday’s announcement that Mr. Oskanian has been formally
charged. This development, in my view, is bad for justice and democracy
in Armenia. As I have said previously, the case appears to represent
the selective application of Armenian law. Moreover, the timing of
these events in relation to the election schedule is troubling. We
urge the Government of Armenia to live up to its commitments to the
systematic, fair and transparent implementation of the rule of law,”
he said in a statement.

ARMENIAN AMERICAN PHILANTHROPIST TO FINANCE RENOVATION OF VANADZOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

ARMENPRESS
11 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, ARMENPRESS: Tigran Sargsyan, the Prime Minister
of the Republic of Armenia received the delegation headed by American-
Armenian philanthropist Edward Kashyan. The sides have envisaged issues
related to school building in Armenia, information and public relations
department of the Government told Armenpress. An agreement was reached
by the sides on the financing of one of Vanadzor secondary schools
collapsed still in the days of 1988 earthquake. The school is going
to meet the international standards. PM Sargsyan and Edward Kashyan
also touched upon the possibility of the launch of similar projects
in the health sphere . The head of the executive body welcomed Edward
Kashyan initiative and thanked the latter for the conduction of the
charity programs.

UN CORNER LAUNCHED AT THE ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

armradio.am
17:00 11.10.2012

Today UN Corner was launched at the Armenian State Pedagogical
University, and students, university professors and journalists learned
more about the use and importance of the Spanish Language at the UN
during the observation of the Spanish Language Day in Armenia.

The events were organized by the UN Department of Public Information
jointly with the Armenian State Pedagogical University.

More than 1000 UN publications and multimedia materials which were
provided by the UN for the UN Corner will serve to further educate
youth on UN values and UN functioning. The professors and students
of the university will also use the UN Corner to organize UN-related
cultural and educational events.

The UN Corner was opened in accordance with a Plan for Cooperation
between UN Department of Public Information and the Armenian State
Pedagogical University, which was signed at the ceremony.

“We highly appreciate our cooperation and are happy to implement
joint activities, which allow youth to be involved in the UN work
and to provide their contribution to the sustainable development and
Armenian’s achievement of the Millennium Development Goals”, said Ara
Eremyan, the vice-rector of the Armenian State Pedagogical University.

During the Spanish Language Day at the UN event the audience enjoyed
some Hispanic dances, flamenco and spiritual music. The students
from the Yerevan State Pedagogical University made presentations on:
“Spanish Language in the World and in Armenia”. In the meantime,
a number of UN publications were distributed to the students and
professors of the University from the Bibliobus of the National
Library.

The UN Department of Public Information Representative in Armenia,
Maria Dotsenko said: “It is important that Armenians learn Spanish,
which helps them to open the borders to the diversity of Hispanic
culture and to be citizens of the world. We live in a multilingual
world where the languages we speak, read or write affect the way
we think and act, and help to better understand how crucial the
multilingualism of the UN is for the implementation of its complex
agenda: promotion of peace, diversity, cross-cultural dialogue and
partnerships towards better human development”.

Ambassador of Argentina, Diego Ernesto Alvarez Rivera, spoke about
contribution of the Spanish Language to the promotion of UN agenda
and encouraged youth to further study it.

IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO BEAT ITALY – ARMENIAN MANAGER

news.am
October 11

YEREVAN. – It will be difficult to beat the Italian national team,
Armenian football squad manager Vardan Minasyan said during a press
conference on Thursday, NEWS.am Sport reporter informs.

“The mood [in our team] is very high. We have losses [that is, injuries
and suspensions]. [But] All the players are ready. This Italian team
differs from the previous ones in the sense that it demonstrates a
creative football. [Italy manager] Cesare Prandelli is tactically
the most knowledgeable coach in Italian football history.

Italy is a strong team, but it mostly plays a defensive
football-Catenaccio. Now, they also play an attacking style. It will
be difficult to beat them. Playing well is not enough to win; there
should be success, too,” Vardan Minasyan stated.

To note, the 2014 World Cup Brazil’s qualifying Group B match between
Armenia and Italy will kick off at Armenian capital city Yerevan’s
Hrazdan Stadium on Friday at 9pm

VICE-SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT CALLS ON US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA TO REFRAIN FROM POLITIZATION OF VARTAN OSKANIAN’S CASE

arminfo
Thursday, October 11, 13:27

Vice-speaker of the Armenian parliament, a member of the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia, Edward Sharmazanov has called on US
Ambassador to Armenia, John Heffern, to refrain from politization of
Vartan Oskanian’s case, ex-foreign minister of Armenia and at present
a deputy from Prosperous Armenia Party.

To recall, US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern had issued a statement
on the case of Vartan Oskanian. “I have been asked for the US views
on yesterday’s announcement that Mr. Oskanian has been formally
charged. This development, in my view, is bad for justice and democracy
in Armenia. As I have said previously, the case appears to represent
the selective application of Armenian law. Moreover, the timing of
these events in relation to the election schedule is troubling. We
urge the Government of Armenia to live up to its commitments to the
systematic, fair and transparent implementation of the rule of law,”
he said in a statement.

Sharmazanov said in an interview with RFE/RL Armenian service, that
he does not share the view in the honorable Ambassador’s statement
that this is a selective application of the law. He also added that
this is a legal matter and it is impermissible to politicize it.

Touching on the Ambassador’s assertion that “the timing of these events
in relation to the election schedule is troubling,” Sharmazanov said
it is far from reality and impermissible to link any legal process
in Armenia with elections. “I believe the ambassadors themselves
likewise must refrain from politicizing the legal matters in Armenia
and linking them to elections. The Armenian authorities fight not
against individuals, but against bad phenomena,”- Sharmazanov said.

U.S. ELIMINATES RUSSIA’S FAVORITE WEAPON

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:22:30 – 11/10/2012

Member of Karabakh Committee Ashot Manucharyan thinks it has recently
become evident that we are under external management, and it is a
vital issue to deal with the management of our affairs ourselves.

According to him, the society should think about managing its own
affairs. He noted that 150 years ago the Indian National Congress
created by Gandhi displayed the self-management system of the Indian
people under the English occupation, while today the occupation is
worse because people’s minds and souls are occupied.

He dwelt on the interview of the U.S. ambassador to Lragir.am in which
John Heffern said that the U.S. is going to do everything to ensure
that an education-based economy is created in Armenia which, according
to Manucharyan, will help us overcome our economic problems. Besides,
many people leave Armenia in order to ensure proper education for
their children.

Manucharyan says it is an issue of vital importance that the U.S.
should do what it says.

Ashot Manucharyan dwelt on the statement of the U.S. ambassador on
Vartan Oskanian’s case saying that he does not think the U.S. is unable
to solve an issue of persecution, so, if someone is prosecuted here,
it means the U.S. agrees.

According to him, we don’t believe the words of our politicians
but they are instructed by the world powers which can create such
difference between words and actions to make them totally contradict
each other.

With this step the U.S. is trying to eliminate the favorite weapon of
Russia but Russia is worth it because it should think before creating
the weapon: one can’t make a Kalashnikov of paper.

WHY MOSCOW CHOOSES VENAL FIGURES

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:56:37 – 11/10/2012

Former member of Karabakh committee Ashot Manucharyan dwelt on October
11 on the statement of the Russian ambassador Vyacheslav Kovalenko,
who said that no one is forced to leave for Russia from Armenia
and people leave Armenia for internal reasons. The ambassador said
this in answer to the government’s dissatisfaction with the Russian
Compatriots program.

Ashot Manucharyan said that Russia chooses as partners in Armenia only
venal figures and then complains. According to Manucharyan, when we
rebel against protege Russian leaders, Russians kill us with their
hands and then they complain that the leader betrayed their country.

Manucharyan says that it was not the leader who betrayed, but the
Russians had acquired a good for sale. According to Ashot Manucharyan
if we speak this way to the Russian ambassador, he will think before
making such statements next time. But we, Manucharyan says, don’t
talk this way to the Russian ambassador but only flatter him.

“PROTOCOLS ARE ALREADY EXHAUSTED”

08:14 pm | Today | Politics

On October 10, 2009, in the Faculty of History at the University
of Zurich, the foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey signed a
diplomatic agreement – consisting of two protocols – to establish
normalized diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The ceremony, scheduled for around 8 p.m. (Yerevan time) was delayed
for 3,5 hours. This was an unprecedented phenomenon in the history
of diplomatic relations as the sides usually put their signatures on
documents after clarifying all doubtful questions.

Later it was told that the signing ceremony was delayed as the
Armenian delegation objected to a statement that the Turkish side
wanted to add to the proceedings. It was widely believed that the
statement was intended to link the Nagorno Karabakh settlement to
the rapprochement process – a condition the Armenians have objected
to from the start of negotiations.

Neither side issued a statement following the signing as had initially
been planned, an idea apparently scrapped as a consequence of the
dispute that led to the signing delay.

In reply to the tension of Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian,
who was putting his name on the documents, Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu
gave a ghastly smile.

Following the ceremony, hundreds of thousands of Armenians spoke
against the protocols. A number of opposition and nationalist forces
vehemently criticized the documents, citing its prerequisites.

A joint headquarters was formed which regularly organized protests and
marches against the controversial document. The Armenian Revolutionary
Federation-Dashnaksutsyun even demanded the resignation of the Foreign
Minister and held a sit-in protest.

The wave of protest calmed down when the Constitutional Court
of Armenia dismissed the outrage over the preconditions, thereby
excluding or minimizing the speculations voiced by the Turkish side.

Following the events, the protocols were withdrawn from the agenda of
the Turkish Majlis. However, the parliamentary groups of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutsyun and Heritage continued to
demand the Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly to remove the
documents from the agenda.

Armen Martirosyan, who headed the Heritage faction in 2009-2010,
says their demand is still in force. “The earlier Armenia withdraws
its signature, the better for the country as we see that Turkey is
continuing its non-friendly relations. If earlier they displayed
a neutral posture in the Karbakh issue, today Turkey demands that
Armenian withdraw its troops from the liberated territories,” he said.

On April 22, 2010 Serzh Sargsyan eventually declared his decision to
freeze the reconciliation process as long as Turkey did not decide
to ratify the protocols.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced in Armenia that
‘the ball is in Turkey’s court.’

Artak Zakaryan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign
Relations, says the international community unanimously hailed the
protocols and still has a good opinion of the document as it focuses
on ensuring long-term stability in the region.

Armen Martirosyan is convinced that Armenian authorities do not want
to withdraw the protocols from the agenda in order to avoid further
problems with their foreign partners, who can, in their turn, create
internal problems for the authorities.

Artak Zakaryan believes that any reference to the protocols can only
have a positive impact on Armenia’s reputation. “Our future steps
depend on Turkey,” he said.

Mr Martirosyan thinks that Armenian should get rid of the protocols
as quickly as possible as the protocols are already exhausted.

ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS TO TURKEY’S BENEFIT – ARF-D REP

tert.am
10.10.12

Three years after the Armenian-Turkish protocols were signed the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) has not
changed its stance.

The ARF-D believes that it is high time for Armenia’s authorities
to realize their mistake and cancel the protocols. Otherwise, Turkey
is only benefiting, Giro Manoyan, Head of the ARF-D Hay Dat office,
told journalists on Wednesday.

No further work on the protocols is being done, but they remain a
legal document, he added.

“The protocols are not only causing damage to Armenia, but also
bringing benefits to Turkey, which has for many years had a political
aim of mediating the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process,” Manoyan said. In
this context he recalled Turkey’s recent statement on the Stepanakert
airport.

“Turkey is already accusing Armenia, claiming the operation of
Stepanakert airport will cause tension in the region. They are even
threatening to interfere if the airport is opened,” Manoyan said.

Turkey is thus going against the OSCE MG co-chairs’ statement that
civil aircraft flying to Armenia can by no means be threatened.

“The only benefit for Armenia is that Armenia’s authorities were
perceived as good partners, which meet the interests of the same
international [organizations],” Manoyan said. Armenia’s authorities are
following a policy of being perceived well be certain states, he added.

By withdrawing the protocols, Armenia will not lose its reputation
of reliable partner. “The world will realize Turkey is guilty,”
Manoyan said.

The ARF-D is against Armenia’s breaking the blockade at the expense
of something else, he concluded.

NO CEASEFIRE VIOLATION REGISTERED DURING NKR AND AZERBAIJANI CONTACT LINE MONITORING

ARMENPRESS
10 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 10, ARMENPRESS: OSCE mission conducted a planned
monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic and Azerbaijan in the direction of Askeran
in accordance with the arrangement reached with the NKR authorities
on October 10.

As NKR MFA Press Service told Armenpress, from the positions of the
NKR Defense Army, the monitoring was held by Field Assistant of the
Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Irji Aberle
(Czech Republic) and Coordinator of the office of OSCE PRCiO Peter
Kee (Great Britain). From the opposite side the monitoring mission
was led by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office,
Ambassador Andrzey Kasprzyk (Poland).

The monitoring proceeded in accordance with the agreed schedule. No
violations of the cease-fire regime were registered.From the Karabakh
side the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of
the NKR Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense.