Author: nina hovnanian

ARMENIA TO LIMIT ENTRY FOR CITIZENS OF 40 AFRICAN STATES: AFRICANS USE ARMENIA AS TRANSSHIPMENT POINT TO EUROPE

news.am
June 27, 2012 | 00:01

YEREVAN. – Armenia records increase of African citizens who try to
use the territory of Armenia as a transit point to Europe, Armenian
National Security Service reports.

Those citizens live in Armenia illegally or try to get temporary
resident permit via a company. Their flows may become uncontrollable
and lead to social, demographic, healthcare and legal issues.

According to the current procedure, citizens of 40 African states may
arrive in Armenia and without any hamper be issued an entry visa on
state borders.

The Service offers to include those 40 states in the list, the citizens
of which may enter Armenia exclusively on invitation. The issue is
included in the Government’s Thursday session agenda.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT DOES NOT CARE FOR LAKE SEVAN: OPPOSITIONIST

arminfo
Monday, June 25, 23:18

We voted against the bill stimulating more water releases from Lake
Sevan, the head of the parliamentary group of Heritage party Ruben
Hakobyan told journalists on Monday.

“We have lots of other water resources. So there was no need for
releasing more water from Sevan. They did it not to help farmers to
irrigate their lands but to protect the owners of the cottages built
on the shore from the rising water level,” Hakobyan said.

On Friday the Armenian Parliament approved the Government’s bill
stipulating a release of additional 150mln c m of water from Lake
Sevan for irrigation of an arable area of 40 h. 93 MPs voted pro,
12 contra, with no abstainers.

168 ZHAM: OPPOSITION FORCES SHOULD SUPPORT OSKANIAN – MYASNIK MALKHASYAN

tert.am
26.06.12

Speaking to the paper member of the Armenian National Congress, ex-MP
Myasnik Malkhasyan, referring to the criminal case opened against
Oskanian, said the opposition political figures should leave the past
behind and support ex-foreign minister Vartan Oskanian.

Though Malkhasyan stressed that Oskanian is one of the ‘editors’
of March 1 events, at the same time he says the opposition should
not stick to past but move forward, leaving the issue of subjecting
him to responsibility to future.

“I think it will be right to express assistance to him, to make each
recalcitrant political figure understand that he/she may freely express
viewpoint and be convinced of finding associates who will not allow
the tough force of authorities persecute them,” Malkhasyan said.

LES EXPERTS S’ATTENDENT A CE QUE L’ARMENIE ET L’AZERBAIDJAN REPONDENT AUX NOUVELLES PROPOSITIONS DE L’OSCE
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 26 juin 2012

Le manque d’accord ou de declaration publique après la dernière reunion
des ministres des Affaires Etrangères de l’Armenie et l’Azerbaïdjan a
Paris ne signifie pas qu’aucune nouvelle proposition sur le Karabakh
n’ait avance ou que les deux parties l’ont rejete. Les experts pensent
que les propositions qui ont ete annoncees pendant la visite de la
Secretaire d’Etat americaine Hillary Clinton au debut du mois, ont
ete neanmoins, presentees aux deux parties et on leur a donne du temps
pour bien reflechir. La semaine prochaine les co-presidents du Groupe
de Minsk de l’OSCE devraient visiter la region de nouveau et les deux
parties vont très probablement presenter leurs positions alors.

La declaration des co-presidents du Groupe de Minsk de l’OSCE ne
reflète pas les sujets discutes a declare pour sa part le chef de
la delegation armenienne a l’Assemblee Parlementaire du Conseil de
l’Europe, le depute du parti Republicain David Harutyunyan.

” Je suis sûr qu’il y a eu des discussions beaucoup plus larges et plus
profondes et c’est probablement la raison du manque de commentaires
clairs ” a dit David Harutyunyan.

On ne connaît pas les details des negociations, bien sûr, mais le
manque de frustration et les reactions negatives de la communaute
internationale après la rencontre de Paris montrent que les deux
parties n’ont pas rejete les propositions mais ont demande du temps
pour bien reflechir et etablir leurs propres conditions.

Le ministre armenien des Affaires Etrangères Edouard Nalbandyan a deja
fait une declaration, notant que l’Armenie est prete a travailler avec
les co-presidents vers un règlement exclusivement paisible du conflit.

La position de l’Azerbaïdjan sur le conflit du Nagorno-Karabakh,
en attendant, reste inchangee : ” en premier lieu, les forces
armees armeniennes doivent etre retirees des territoires occupees
de l’Azerbaïdjan ” a declare le porte-parole du ministère azeri des
affaires etrangères Elman Abdullayev.

DES MILITANTS ECOLOGISTES VERBALISES A EREVAN
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 26 juin 2012

Une cour a Erevan a condamne a une amende quatre miliatnts ecologistes
pour avoir attaque la police pendant des protestations contre la
construction controversee de kiosques dans un petit parc public dans
le centre ville.

Les activistes sont les membres d’une soi-disant ” equipe de demontage
” qui a rejoint des douzaines de jeunes armeniens qui ont organise
des demonstrations quotidiennes dans le Parc Mashtots cette annee. Le
15 avril ils ont franchi des barrières de police dans une tentative
de demolir les structures incomplètes. La police a employe la force
pour les repousser.

L’incident a eu lieu deux semaines avant que le President Serge
Sarkissian ne demande aux autorites municipales d’enlever une douzaine
de kiosques construits dans le parc, disant ils sont ” pas tout a fait
agreables “. Les militants, parmi eux le cineaste Tigran Khzmalian
et l’analyste politique Manvel Sargsian, ont ete convoque par la cour
malgre cela.

Dans sa decision la Cour Administrative d’Armenie les ont condamnes
pour avoir desobeit aux ordres de police et les a condamne chacun a
une amende de 50000 drams (120 $). Les quatre hommes ont rejete la
decision disant qu’ils ne payeront pas les amendes et ferront appel.

” C’est un secteur public et ils n’avaient aucun droit de proteger
la-bas une construction illegale ” a declare Manvel Sargsian au
service armenien de RFE/RL (Azatutyun.am). Il a dit que l’ordre du
President Sarkissian a montre que les protestataires avaient raison.

PACE PRESIDENT: INTERNAL POLITICAL SITUATION IN ARMENIA UNSATISFACTORY

Trend
June 25 2012
Azerbaijan

PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon believes the internal political
situation in Armenia is unsatisfactory.

“The situation in Armenia cannot be considered satisfactory, and we
are very concerned about that,” Mignon said on Monday within the PACE
summer session.

He believes that it is necessary to seek holding discussions with
Azerbaijan and Armenia’s officials on further activity of the
subcommittee on Nagorno-Karabakh and in general about the situation
in these countries.

A report on the recent parliamentary elections in Armenia has been
already adopted, Mignon said.

The parliamentary elections in Armenia were held on May 6.

ARMENIAN POLICE TO SHOOT AT AMERICAN TARGETS

Vestnik Kavkaza
June 25 2012
Russia

The US Ambassador to Armenia, John Heffern, and the head of the
Armenian police, Lieutenant-General Vladimir Gasparyan, officially
opened a new shooting gallery – a gift from the US government to
Armenia, 1in.am reports.

The shooting gallery was built in the framework of an Armenian-American
program which aims at promoting strengthening the potential of the
law-enforcement agencies of Armenia in the fight against crime.

John Heffern praised the ongoing changes in the Armenian police,
in particular emphasizing the role of Police Chief Gasparyan.

CITY OF WARWICK, RI, PROCLAIMS MAY 20 AS SHUSHI LIBERATION DAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 25, 2012 – 21:19 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The City of Warwick, RI, proclaimed May 20, 2012 as
the Shushi Liberation Day. “Due to the bravery of Armenian soldiers and
excellent military strategy and organization, Shushi was liberated,”
says proclamation by the Warwick’s Mayor Scott Avedisian.

“Attempts to reunify Artsakh and Armenia were met with resistance by
Azerbaijan with murders, slaughters and torture”, the proclamation
says, and emphasizes that “liberating Shushi became a matter of life
and death”. The proclamation also characterizes the liberation of
Shushi as “a turning point in the war” between Azerbaijan and Artsakh,
press service of Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the U.S.
reported.

Mayor of Shushi Garen Avakimyan thanked the Mayor and the City of
Warwick for the Proclamation. Avakimyan’s letter, in particular,
said “Twenty years ago the city (of Shushi) returned to the Armenian
people to become a symbol of courage and perseverance, a symbol of
a selfless struggle for freedom and justice”.

JAN GILLAN AND TONY IOMMI DEBUT WHO CARES ALBUM TO BE RELEASED ON JULY 13

armradio.am
25.06.2012 18:08

Last week, Tony Iommi and Ian Gillan revelaed the release date and
track listing for their forthcoming “Who Cares” album together.

The album was announced earlier this year after the success of the
two songs released last year to raise money to rebuild a music school
in Armenia.

On December 7th 1988, Armenia was hit by an earthquake, both Ian
Gillan and Tony Iommi have been dedicated in working to help overcome
the consequences of it.

The 2-CD set will be released July 13th.

WHAT OFFICIAL YEREVAN WANTED
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 17:43:31 – 25/06/2012

Regnum reported that the Lithuanian minister of defense Rasa
Jukneviciene told BNS in a telephone interview, “Armenia’s interest
in this visit was big. They made every effort to make sure it takes
places, though Lithuania is in a pre-election year and I must spend
a lot of time in the Seim. Therefore, the visit is held on weekend,
which shows the great wish and focus of Armenia to cooperate with
NATO and the EU.”

It is not a secret that the Baltic states, namely Lithuania and Latvia,
are the main channels through which Armenia works with NATO and the
EU. Not always is it possible to get in direct touch with NATO and
EU leaders or leaders of leading states of these organizations.

Meanwhile, contacts at the level of resident diplomatic missions
cannot compare to this level of contacts.

In this situation additional channels come to rescue, such as contacts
with the Baltic States which do not provide the level of leaders of
leading EU member states but ensure a considerably higher level of
communication than that of embassies.

Hence, the interview of the Lithuanian minister is evidence that
their visit and meeting with the Armenian government was requested by
Yerevan. It is interesting to know what official Yerevan needed to pass
to NATO, considering that the meeting was with the minister of defense.

Interestingly, the visit coincided with the commandership and staff
stage of the three-day CSTO military exercise to be held in September.

The Armenian minister of defense had announced earlier that this stage
would be held on June 25-27 on the topic of military governance in
the period of war and undertaking key measures to resist aggression.

Seyran Ohanyan had asked the heads of all the public administration
bodies to prepare for this event. According to him, it will bring
Armenia to a high level military alert.

“In this context we will prepare appropriate orders on martial law,
mobilization, containment of aggression. The president of Armenia will
request the CSTO leadership to support us, to prepare and participate
appropriately in this stage on 25, 26 and 27,” Seiran Ohanyan said.

It is not ruled out that in this regard Armenia needed some
communication with NATO at a higher level than the level of embassies.

On the other hand, a number of other events coincided with this visit,
namely the escalation in Syria.

Hence, official Yerevan may have several reasons for communication
with NATO.

On the whole, the problem has a wider geopolitical context and fits
the logic of deepening relations with the West and strengthening
Armenia. In the long run, the global and regional developments are
evidence that there is no alternative to this deepening. Armenia
must promote internal reforms to make it more effective and ensure
the required level of sovereignty not to allow a primitive process
of passing from under the Russian to the Western umbrella. These
attempts are not only primitive but also dangerous.

The starting point of choice by official Yerevan must be the national
interest of Armenia which requires modernization, competitiveness,
update of military and civil technology and values, redesign, at
least diversification.

>From this point of view, NATO-Armenia and generally West-Armenia
interaction can be valuable for the Armenian national interest.