Author: nina hovnanian

LES ARMENIENS DE TURQUIE DEMANDENT L’EGALITE
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 22 mars 2012

Le Patriarche en exercice Aram Atesyan, a demande une citoyennete
egale pour les citoyens de la Republique Turque pendant une apparition
devant la Commission Parlementaire de Conciliation de la Constitution.

Le Patriarche en exercice Aram Atesyan a publie un appel pour
une definition de ” la citoyennete constitutionnelle ” pendant sa
presentation. Sa definition differait du Patriarcat grec, qui avait
demande la citoyennete selon la definition du fait d’etre turc.

” Il ne peut pas avoir de definition de la citoyennete dans la
Constitution. Mais cela doit etre definit c’est donc quelqu’un ne
sur le sol de la Republique de Turquie, ou celui qui a acquis la
citoyennete Turque, ou celui dont les parents sont des citoyens de
la Republique de Turquie. Une telle personne est un citoyen de la
Republique de Turquie ” a dit le Patriarche.

Ce dernier a aussi exige que l’on permette aux armeniens d’avoir des
emplois dans les etablissements d’Etat.

Il a soumis un document de 11 pages pour la nouvelle constitution
incluant des garanties constitutionnelles contre des crimes haineux.

LE SUSPECT A ANNONCE QU’IL VOULAIT MOURIR LES ARMES A LA MAIN
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
jeudi 22 mars 2012

Retranche depuis la nuit dernière au rez-de-chaussee de son domicile
a Toulouse, le presume assassin de trois militaires de Montauban,
dont deux soldats d’origine maghrebine et un antillais, grièvement
blesse ; de trois jeunes enfants juifs et d’un adulte d’une ecole
confessionnelle a Toulouse, Mohamed Merah, 23 ans, suspect se reclamant
d’Al-Qaïda, avait ete annonce arrete mercredi dans l’après midi vers
14 h10 par les hommes du Raid. Alain Juppe lui-meme avait annonce
son arrestation alors qu’il se trouvait a l’ambassade de France
a Jerusalem. Le Ministre des Affaires etrangères avait accompagne
les corps des trois jeunes ecoliers et du professeur juifs en Terre
d’Israël.

Le Ministre de l’Interieur a dementi, a 14h50, l’arrestation de
Mohamed Merah, alors qu’a 16h00 une ceremonie officielle a rendu
hommage aux soldats de Montauban en presence des candidats a l’election
presidentielle et du President de la Republique.

A 17h 30, le forcene a indique aux policiers qu’il se rendrait en
fin de soiree. Il avait specifie dans la matinee qu’il se rendrait
en debut d’après-midi.

Une cinquantaine d’hommes du Raid ont pris place autour du domicile
vers 21 h 30. Le quartier est plonge dans le noir.

Trois detonations ont ete entendues a proximite du domicile du suspect
a 23h33. Mesures d’intimidations, n’ayant donne aucun resultat.

A 1h 35 du matin, jeudi, la situation etait toujours figee.

L’operation avait debute a 3h du matin, la veille. A 4h 30, une
nouvelle detonation a ete entendue, puis comme un coup de feu vers
5h 16.

Jeudi 7h52 : Claude gueant a annonce que M.Merah “voulait mourir les
armes a la main”.

Depuis plus de 31 heures Mohamed Merah est retranche dans son
appartement, semble-t-il conforte par l’idee que la justice le veut
vivant, la police jouant l’usure. La thèse du suicide est egalement
evoquee, alors que le contact est rompu.

9h40 : des mouvements policiers et des pompiers semblent annoncer
une prochaine intervention.

10h 30 plusieurs explosions assez puissantes ont retenti dans le
quartier.

Deux policiers ont ete blesses aux premières heures de la matinee de
mercredi dans un affrontement avec le presume tueur.

LEGISLATIVES : LES PARTIS DEVOILENT LEURS CANDIDATS
Laetitia

armenews.com
jeudi 22 mars 2012

Trois autres partis politiques consideres comme les principaux
pretendants des prochaines elections legislatives ont devoile
leurs listes de candidats mercredi 21 mars 2012. Les partis Armenie
prospère (BHK) et Orinats Yerkir, deux partenaires juniors de la
coalition au pouvoir du President Serge Sarkissian, ainsi que le
parti de l’opposition, la Federation Revolutionnaire Armenienne
(FRA) ont exprime leur confiance quant a leur capacite de gagner
les prochaines elections. Le BHK a des objectifs particulièrement
ambitieux, cherche a mettre a jour son statut actuel et souhaite
etre le deuxième plus important parti au pouvoir du pays. L’ancien
ministre des Affaires etrangères Vartan Oskanian, qui a rejoint le
parti il y a moins d’un mois est le deuxième sur la liste, suivi
par le ministre Vartan Vartanian et deux hommes d’affaires, Gurgen
Arsenian et Samvel Balasanian. Gurgen Arsenian, qui dirige aussi une
partie beaucoup plus petite alliee au BHK, a declare a RFE / RL que
l’equipe politique de Tsarukian va chercher a gagner une majorite de
sièges dans le prochain parlement.

H. Hovannisian a declare que le BHK est le seul concurrent capable
de mettre fin a ce qu’il appelle un ” monopole politique ” dont jouit
le parti republicain de Sarkissian(HHK).

En revanche, Orinats Yerkir devrait se battre pour avoir encore une
poignee de deputes dans le nouveau parlement. Le parti dirige par
Artur Baghdassarian a besoin de recueillir au moins 5% du vote.

Pourtant, Baghdasarian semblait confiant quant aux chances de son
parti de remporter les eelctions. Baghdasarian occupe la première
place sur la liste, suivie de la vice-presidente, Heghine Bisharian,
du ministre des Situations d’urgence Armen Yeritsian et du ministre
de l’Agriculture Sergo Karapetian.

Sarkissian a fait l’eloge du parti Orinats Yeritsian dans un discours
lors de la reception marquant le 15e anniversaire de la creation
du parti.” Vous etes des partenaires fiables, car dans les moments
difficiles, on peut compter sur vous et surmonter de nombreuses
difficultes avec vous “, a-t-il dit.

La FRA, qui faisait partie du gouvernement de coalition de Sarkissian
jusqu’en 2009, a presente sa liste de candidats aux elections
mercredi. La liste est completee par deux dirigeants du parti
d’opposition, Vahan Hovannisian et Armen Rustamian.

Figurent egalement parmi les dix premiers candidats de la FRA quatre
hommes d’affaires. ” Je pense que la liste la plus competitive et
la meilleure est la nôtre “, a annonce Vahan Hovannisian lors d’une
conference de nouvelles. Hovannisian a declare que le but de la FRA
est de parvenir a un changement de regime complet et radical a la
suite des elections du 6 mai.

ROBERT BRADTKE: I DON’T THINK THAT THE PROBLEM OF OUR INABILITY TO REACH A PEACE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN THE FORMAT OF THE MINSK GROUP OR THE FORMAT OF THE CO-CHAIRS

APA
March 21 2012
Azerbaijan

Baku. Viktoriya Dementyeva-APA. ‘I don’t think that the problem of
our inability to reach a peace agreement has been the format of the
Minsk Group or the format of the co-chairs.

The problem is that these are very difficult questions. The differences
between the sides are very great, and frankly, there’s a lack of
trust. Changing the format is not going to address any of those
things’. The OSCE Minsk group Co-chair Robert Bradtke told in an
interview to Radio Liberty, APA reports.

‘I feel that we’ve made a lot of substantive progress in the last
years. Again, I think the outlines of an agreement are there. There are
complications about the sequencing of steps toward a final settlement,
about fleshing out some of the details, and as I say, there’s this lack
of trust which makes it much more difficult to reach agreement. So
I think rather than starting over again from some new perspective
with some new format, the sides have told us that they want to work
in this format [and] that they accept this format’- he added.

According to Bradtke for 20 years of its activity the Minsk Group has
done three important things: it has helped be a factor for stability
and helped defuse tensions, be a channel for communication between
and among the parties and could develop a common basis for negotiation.

‘We’ve worked very hard with the parties to try to develop this
framework document. We haven’t succeeded yet. But I point to the
statement of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan made when
they were in Sochi in January of this year with [Russian] President
[Dmitry] Medvedev, when they expressed readiness to accelerate work
on this document. I think there’s no question we’re closer today than
we were 20 years ago. I think the sides understand the basic elements
of what a settlement should look like. They’ve articulated, and we’ve
articulated with them, elements that are captured by the presidents in
the joint statements they made at the summits in L’Aquila, in Muskoka,
and last year in Deauville’.

Commenting the questions on the developing a mechanism to investigate
cease-fire violations along the Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact, the
Co-chair said that they have given ideas to the sides on the issue and
discussed them when we were in the region just a couple of weeks ago.

‘So we will continue to work on this and try to develop ideas that
the sides can agree upon.’

R. Bradtke welcomed the the idea of people-to-people dialogue. ‘It
is important. If you look back from the a 20-year perspective, what
we now see is a generation in Armenia and Azerbaijan growing up that
has really not lived side by side. So people-to-people contacts can
help play a role there, but one of the challenges is to do this in
a way that is constructive [and] to do it in a way that is genuine.

People-to-people contacts don’t work if they are used by the sides for
political purposes or are politicized. If they are used to continue
arguments about who was at fault or who did wrong to whom 20 years ago,
that’s not going to help move things forward.’

APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS 22-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR DINK KILLER

Today’s Zaman
March 21 2012
Turkey

The Supreme Court of Appeals has upheld an earlier court decision to
sentence Ogun Samast, the hitman in the murder of Armenian-Turkish
journalist Hrant Dink, to 22 years, 10 months in prison.

The high court’s 1st Criminal Chamber upheld last year’s ruling by a
juvenile court to sentence Samast, who was a minor at the time of the
crime, to 21 years, six months for “premeditated murder” and one year,
four months for carrying an unlicensed gun.

Dink, the editor-in-chief of Armenian-Turkish newspaper Agos, was
gunned down outside his office in Ä°stanbul in broad daylight on Jan.

19, 2007. The murder shocked Turkey and the ensuing trial became mired
in controversy with Dink’s family and human rights activists arguing
that links between suspects in the case and the real masterminds of
the murder, suspected to be in the military and police force, were
not sufficiently investigated.

The hitman, Samast was captured one day after the murder. Other
suspects, including Yasin Hayal and Erhan Tuncel, were captured in
the following days on charges of soliciting Samast for Dink’s murder.

The court hearing the primary murder trial sentenced Hayal to life for
soliciting Samast to murder Dink, but ruled there was no organized
criminal network linked to the murder. The ruling angered the Dink
family’s lawyers and many others who say the trial failed to shed
light on alleged connections between the suspects and state officials.

NON-REGULATED ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION MAY BECOME NATIONAL THREAT – ARMENIAN MP

news.am
March 21, 2012 | 19:17

YEREVAN. – Non-regulated artificial insemination may become a national
threat, parliament opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun MP Artsvik Minasyan
said in the Parliament.

He recalled that despite law “On reproductive health and reproductive
rights” exists, it does not regulate the import of sperm from abroad.

As Armenian Minister of Healthcare Harutyun Kushkyan was absent,
Minister of Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan responded to the question. He
said that surrogacy and artificial insemination cases are registered
in Armenia but no legal complications were brought forward.

“The law does regulate the field. However, more exact answer will be
given by Healthcare Minister,” Tovmasyan said.

ARF UNVEILS PROPORTIONAL ELECTION LIST

asbarez
Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

The ARF’s election slogan

YEREVAN (Yerkir)-Under the banner of “Liberty. Justice. ARF,” the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Wednesday unveiled its list of
candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections slated for May 6.

The 85-strong list is headed by ARF Bureau member and current ARF
bloc chairman Vahan Hovannesian.

Hovanessian was joined by fellow parliament members Armen Rustamian
and Artush Shahbazian at a press conference, where they unveiled the
list and discussed some of the reasoning behind the candidates.

Explaining that compiling the list was an arduous process, Hovannesian
asserted that “Our list is the most successful one and individuals
named on our list are worthy of becoming parliament members.”

“ARF list was created by a consensus and in an amicable fashion. We
have separated responsibilities in order that every person has a
specific responsibility,” explained Hovannesian.

“I believe that voters have realized that the lies and promises [by
the ruling elite] must not be trusted. The campaign will be heated
and we have serious expectations,” said Hovannesian about the outcome
of the elections.

>From l to r: Artush Shahbazian, Vahan Hovannesian and Armen Rustamian
during Wednesday’s press conference (Pan-Armenian.net photo)

Hovannesian explained that the ARF has kept its promise of shuffling
the list and bringing new actors to the legislative arena. As a result,
half of the current ARF parliamentary bloc is not part of the current
list of nominees. Those that have not been incorporated within the
list have other responsibilities in the political arena.

Rustamian told the press conference that there was clear logic behind
the list, which seeks to fulfill certain political goals.

“ARF aims to change the entire regime and make systematic changes in
our country,” said Rustamian.

Under the current electoral code, 90 of the 131 members of parliament
are elected on the proportional system, while the remaining 41 members
elected on the single-mandate.

Late last year, the ARF along with the other parliamentary opposition
bloc, the Heritage Party, sought to reform Armenia’s electoral system
by proposing a 100-percent proportional system, which they said would
minimize voter harassment and vote rigging.

The measure was turned down last month by the ruling coalition
governing the parliament.

The ARF said that it would also announce a list of candidates that
would vie for parliament seats in single-mandate elections.

The ARF currently holds 16 seats in the 131-member National Assembly.

The number of seats is determined by the percentage of the votes
garnered by the party after the election. The members of parliament
are seated in ascending order of the list submitted to Central
Electoral Commisssion.

Below is the list of candidates on the ARF list:

1. Vahan Hovannesian 2. Armen Rustamian 3. Artush Shahbazyan 4. Aghvan
Vartanian 5. Artsvik Minassian 6. Karine Harutunian 7. Armen Babayan
8. Aramayin Grigoryan 9. Miakel Manoukyan 10. Karen Shalhmouradyan
11. Rouzanna Arakelyan 12. Ara Nranyan 13. Arsen Hambartsoumyan
14. Gagik Gevorkyan 15. Vahram Tamazian 16. Nouneh Petrossyan
17. Martoun Matevosian 18. Ishkhan Saghatelyan 19. Vartan Aleksanyan
20. Lillit Galstyan 21. Davit Yeritsyan 22. Nvart Manassyan 23. Zaven
Mirzakhanyan 24. Manvel Hairapetyan 25. Romik Manoukyan 26. Artashess
Nikoyan 27. Narine Galstyan 28. Artash Hounanian 29. Souren Manoukyan
30. Nelly Baghdassaryan 31. Karlen Gevorkyan 32. Hakob Matilyan
33. Arman Yeghiazarian 34. Naira Ghazarian 35. Arthur Ghazarian
36. Haroutiun Melikyan 37. Armenouhi Kiureghyan 38. Artsruni Igityan
39. Armen Shaverdyan 40. Gevork Markaryan 41. Nouneh Vartanyan
42. Geregin Sargsyan 43. Naira Lazarian 44. Vartan Davyan 45. Movses
Manoukyan 46. Gayaneh Nercicyan 47. Benik Hambartsoumyan 48. Albert
Sarkisyan 49. Marine Sarksyan 50. Artak Vartanyan 51. Varazdat Navoyan
52. Margarita Khosteghyan 53. Spartak Asoyan 54. Gnel Sargsyan
55. Hasmik Zakaryan 56. Yenovk Abrahamyan 57. Hovsep Simonyan
58. Esmah Zargaryan 59. Razmik Mkhitarian 60. Anahit Petrosyan
61. Andranik Ghazaryan 62. Mourad Grigoryan 63. Amalia Aleksanyan
64. Karo Nasibyan 65. Aram Nazaryan 66. Hovhannes Tatevosyan 67. Gvidon
Matinyan 68. Anahit Haroutiunyan 69. Aram Babayan 70. Ida Hakopyan
71. Arshavir Gasparyan 72. Sona Pirouzyan 73. Gourgen Vartanyan
74. Eva Soghoyan 75. Vatchakan Hovannesyan 76. Mkrtitch Danielyan
77. Naira Aloyan 78. Garnik Nalbandyan 79. Romik Avanesyan 80. Nektar
Hovhannesyan 81. Romik Hambartsoumyan 82. Mayranoush Barsoumyan
83. Edvard Aslanyan 84. Sousanns Poghosyan 85. Levon Gabrielyan

EUFOA POLL: A SNAPSHOT OF PRE-ELECTORAL ARMENIA

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 13:03:06 – 22/03/2012

Today, European Friends of Armenia () publishes the
results of its poll titled “Poll: A Snapshot of Pre-Electoral
Armenia”. The poll was conducted by Institute for Political
and Sociological Consulting (IPSC) and EuFoA, with international
polling company TNS opinion providing extensive quality control and
supervision. The fieldwork was conducted between 29 February and 5
March 2012.

At the beginning of the campaign period, the two largest parties
score results without significant differences (error margin: 2.4%),
but far ahead of any other party. Meanwhile, four smaller parties
are all equally likely to pass the 5% threshold and move into the
National Assembly, or not. “It is stunning that at the beginning of
the campaign period, nobody can say if we will have a parliament made
up of 6, 5, 4, 3, or even just 2 parties! This also means that nobody
can today predict a specific outcome. The only thing we know is that
already today, a very large number of people is already certain to
vote.” comments Dr Michael Kambeck, EuFoA’s Secretary General.

Gagik Tsarukyan is the most popular party leader in Armenia, while
Serzh Sargsyan still has a strong lead when asking for Presidential
preferences. People across the country show dissatisfaction or
distrust in political institutions, and the “perceived” situation in
the country today is rather negative. However, the picture becomes more
positive when the respondents were asked about the real situation of
their own families, and when they evaluate the change of the general
situation in Armenia over the last 5 years.

EuFoA provides this poll as non-Armenian and therefore non-partisan
NGO. To ensure the highest level of independence and quality, this
poll has been entirely supervised by the renowned international
polling company TNS opinion. “We have assessed the methodology and
supervised all steps of this poll. I am happy to say that this poll
absolutely meets international standards and we were very satisfied
with the level of quality” says Dr Steve Schwarzer, Methodology and
Statistics Manager at TNS opinion, Brussels.

EuFoA has commissioned the poll for several reasons. In particular
we want to:

Raise public awareness about the elections, issues important for the
people, and public attitudes towards politics, political parties and
their leaders.

Compare the results of the poll with those of our “benchmark poll”,
commissioned by EuFoA in October 2010.

Contribute to a more meaningful debate, based on political content
more than party political propaganda or myths.

Increase public transparency and trust in a realistic picture of
political life in Armenia.

Increase pressure for a good technical conduct of the elections
by providing comparative data for the assessments of international
observers.

Please click here to download the results.

[]

OSCE: WORK CONDUCTED ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT PEACE AGREEMENT

Trend
March 20 2012
Azerbaijan

The negotiation process over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement
is intense, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairman from Russia Igor Popov said in
an interview with RIA Novosti, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

“The basic principles of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement,
which should become the basis for the development of a future peace
agreement, are being discussed,” Popov said.

Three meetings have been held for the last year. Azerbaijani and
Armenian Presidents could clarify the positions on the issues causing
differences, Popov said. He said that they are few compared to those
already agreed, but they are the most complex.

Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan expressed their intention at the summit
in Sochi in January to accelerate the achievement of the agreement
on basic principles taking into account the conducted, he added.

“This position indicates that the parties are not just ready to
continue the peace process, but intend to make an effort for this
process to give the expected result,” Russian diplomat said.

He said Russia, U.S and France are mediators at the talks. They think
that the conflict can be resolved only peacefully.

“The mediators’ role is great,” he said. “Russia has traditionally
been actively involved in the peace process.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

TURKISH CITIZEN OF ARMENIAN ORIGIN WORRIED ABOUT RACIST REMARKS CASE

Today’s Zaman
March 20 2012
Turkey

A Turkish citizen of Armenian origin said after the fifth hearing of
a case to prosecute individuals who harassed her by e-mail that she
is worried justice will not be served.

“They might close the case by saying that it falls under the statute
of limitations. I don’t think justice will be served,” said Eva Aksoy,
who was harassed by people, suspected to be police officers, who sent
her racist remarks by e-mail.

Aksoy, a representative from the Association for the Protection of
Animals’ Right to Life (HYKHD) who is known by her ethnic background
as an Armenian, has been receiving anonymous e-mails telling her to
“go to Yerevan” or “risk losing her life.” She went to court to file
a complaint and a public prosecutor has opened a case.

However, at the fifth hearing of her case on Tuesday at the Caglayan
30th Criminal Court of Peace, Aksoy and her lawyer, Ahmet Taner,
were not so hopeful that they will obtain justice.

“As the court case gets prolonged, there is a less of a chance that
justice will be served,” Taner said, following the hearing. He added
that Aksoy continues to receive threats.

Aksoy said that threats against her increased following a rally in
Ä°stanbul, where racist slogans targeting Armenians were displayed
on placards. The rally was held at the end of February to commemorate
the killings of Azeris in Nagorno-Karabakh in 1992.

At the hearing the court ruled that Sarıyer police officers, who are
suspected of sending the racist e-mails to Aksoy, should testify at
the court as witnesses. Some HYKHD members held a protest in front
of the court, demanding justice.