Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

HEAVY BLOW ON THE COUNTRY’S REPUTATION

Hayots Ashkhar
Published on March 06, 2008

President Robert Kocharyan estimated the events of March 1-2 in
Yerevan as a heavy blow on the international reputation of our country.

"If we try to estimate Armenia’s reputation by a retrospective look,
we will see that a month ago Armenia was considered the most stable
and swiftly developed country in the region. What did we gain in
one second?

When I watch the videos I really feel shame. I can’t believe that
those things really happened.

So we must all have courage to give sensible assessment to what
happened and together we must try to re-establish both the rating of
our country and the attitude of the world towards our people." The
President announced yesterday.

STATE OF EMERGENCY IN YEREVAN WAS A NECESSITY

ARKA
March 5, 2008

YEREVAN, March 5. /ARKA/. The recent developments in Yerevan have
shown that State of Emergency in Armenia’s capital was a necessity,
said RA President Robert Kocharian. "If the emergency situation were
not declared, we would have much more losses and the consequences
would be more serious for Armenia," the President said.

Kocharian expressed regret for the victims and presented his
condolences to their families. The President also expressed hope
that people injured during the clashes will recover soon. "The chain
of event will be reproduced," Kocharian said. "Many materials,
including videos have been recorded. They will help appraise the
situation and allow law enforcement agencies undertake necessary
precaution measures".

He pointed out that investigators will have to get down to serious
work, as many people were involved in the mass disturbances. The
President has charged them to make a daily report on the investigation
process.

Armenian President Robert Kocharian declared a state of emergency on
March 1after a day of clashes between police and protesters.

The clashes began when authorities used force to clear Freedom
Square of thousands of demonstrators who had camped there for the
past 10 days.

Afterwards, the strikers went to the French Embassy in Armenia near
the Municipality of Yerevan. According to the press service of the
RA Police, the situation became uncontrollable and the crowd battled
policemen with petrol bombs, sticks and pillage nearby public and
private entities.

131 people were injured and eight died as a result of clashes.

ALAN SILLITOE’S HEAVEN ON EARTH

Daily Telegraph
3:40PM GMT 03/03/2008
UK

Writer Alan Sillitoe loves the sights, smells and fantastic food
of Jerusalem.

Perhaps it’s something to do with reading about Jerusalem in the Bible
as a child – it was the first exotic foreign place I learnt about –
but I’ve always been fascinated by this marvellously picturesque city
and its intoxicating mix of religion and history.

I first visited it in the 1970s and have since made a lot of friends
there and been back half a dozen times, most recently last year. I
usually go in the spring – I find the summers a little too hot.

Despite having returned so many times and seen a lot of the tourist
sites, I always visit the Old City – and in particular David Street,
the central lane which leads you to the Western Wall, where I picked
up some beautiful Armenian pottery for a song on my last trip.

I love to savour the city’s sights and smells, and the food in
Jerusalem is fantastic. I enjoy an English breakfast but when I’m
in Israel I always tuck into a delicious Israeli version: salt fish,
cream cheese, kosher sausage with lots of coffee and fruit.

You can also get the most terrific Arab food: the salads at the Colony
Hotel in the eastern side of the city are unbeatable.

So many places I’ve visited over the years have failed to live up to
the hype but Jerusalem, if anything, exceeded my expectations.

As for the supposed danger of visiting the Middle East, that’s not
something you worry about if like me, you grew up in the war. I’ve
never experienced any trouble; in fact, I’ve always found it extremely
friendly.

And of course, it’s not just a fascinating city in its own right,
it’s also a great place from which to explore Israel – it’s only half
an hour to the Dead Sea, for example.

Alan Sillitoe celebrates his 80th birthday on Tuesday 4th March. A
new edition of his novel, ‘A Start In Life’, is being simultaneously
published by London Books, priced £11.99.

–Boundary_(ID_PFt0GmDhrz9mInu cSzfItg)–

ALL KILLED IN MARCH 1 RIOT IDENTIFIED

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.03.2008 22:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ All killed in March 1 night melee have been
identified. These are Zakhar Hohvannisyan, Hamlet Tadevosyan,
Gor Kloyan, David Petrosyan, Tigran Khachatryan, Grigor Gevorgyan,
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, Armen Farmanyan, the prosecutor general’s
office said.

One of the killed, Hamlet Tadevosyan, was a law enforcer. Over three
dozens of policemen were injured.

"Participants and initiators of public disorders ignoring the police
have set fire to dozens of cars, looted the House of Moscow, nearby
shops and offices.

"With firearms, iron and wooded batons, the protesters took up
positions between Grigor Lusavorich and Mashtots avenues and assaulted
the policemen.

"The mass disorders were suppressed only after imposition of emergency
rule and joint operations carried out by police, national security
and armed forces," the prosecutor general’s office said.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
March 3, 2008
Contact: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY MOURNS THE LOSS OF LIFE AND URGES ALL SIDES TO
MAINTAIN PEACE AND ORDER

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America joins with Armenians
around the world in mourning the senseless loss of life as a result of
the violence that erupted in Yerevan on March 1, 2008. We extend our
deepest sympathies to the families who lost loved ones.

We reiterate the points made in our prior statement (attached below)
in which we called upon all parties to adhere "to the rule of law and
to refrain from violence," as well as to ensure that the media will
cover the events as they take place with fairness and balance.

At this critical juncture, Armenia’s young democracy faces a crucial
test. We hope that the authorities will lift the state of emergency
as soon as possible. We urge all parties to work within the legal
framework and welcome the steps taken that led to the de-escalation of
violence. We urge all sides to maintain peace and order, and urge in
the strongest terms that the resumption of violence be avoided at all
costs. With the legal process now underway before the Constitutional
Court, we urge that the independence of the judicial process be upheld
and that the integrity of the Court be maintained for the good of the
Armenian people. (Our website contains more information
about the Constitutional Court process.)

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues.  It is a 501(c)(3)
tax-exempt membership organization.

NR#2008-026

Editor’s Note: Below is the Assembly Statement on Post-Election
Developments from February 29, 2008.

FEBRUARY 29TH ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY STATEMENT ON POST-ELECTION
DEVELOPMENTS IN ARMENIA

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America continues to closely
monitor the ongoing developments that are unfolding in Armenia
following the February 19th presidential election and has received
calls from across the country expressing concern and the need to
ensure that all parties adhere to the rule of law and refrain from
violence.

The Armenian Assembly notes the concerns raised by our members and
supporters.  We have posted election-related statements and
evaluations from around the world on our website, and plan to update
this information regularly.  We believe that free, fair and democratic
elections are critical to the future of the Republic of Armenia and
congratulate the people for their carrying out their rights before,
during and after the elections. All Armenians benefit when elections
are conducted in accordance with international standards and norms.

This period will serve as a crucial test for Armenia’s young
democracy. The issues that have emerged will require great attention,
of which an impartial judicial process and the integrity of the
Constitutional Court will also be essential. We urge that all
election-related issues raised by voters and observers be addressed. 
We further urge all sides to maintain peace and order, and in
strongest terms, urge all parties to refrain from resorting to
violence. We are confident that the authorities will act in accordance
with the best interests of the Armenian people.

Furthermore, while we welcome third party acknowledgment of
improvements in Armenia’s election process, we recognize that the true
judgment rests with its citizenry.  Active participation of any
electorate is a strong indication of the desire for and commitment to
democracy. Armenians chose democracy 20 years ago during the Karabakh
movement and continue this choice for freedom and democracy today.  

We expect that in a democracy, voters would be free from intimidation
and that public television and the media would fairly report and cover
the election process. Freedom of the press is a cornerstone of
democracy. 

The future of Armenia is too important and no one can afford to take a
step backwards.

VIOLENCE POSTPONES CARDINAL’S TRIP TO ARMENIA

Zenit News Agency
March 3 2008
Italy

Secretary of State Still Planning Stop in Azerbaijan

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 2, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI’s secretary
of state was scheduled to arrive in Armenia today, but a state of
emergency in that nation forced the postponement of his trip.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone was set to visit Armenia through
Thursday, and then head to neighboring Azerbaijan until March 9. But
post-election clashes between protesters and police in Armenia on
Saturday resulted in eight deaths. The Armenian government declared
a 20-day state of emergency, forbidding even small groups to gather
in the nation’s capital.

A note from the Vatican press office stated that "the visit, which
has not yet been canceled, could take place in the next several days,
with a changed schedule. The visit to Azerbaijan remains confirmed."

The decision was made "in consideration of the situation created in
Armenia following the protests and the state of emergency declared
by the government," the Holy See explained.

Protesters in the former Soviet state claim that the Feb. 19
presidential elections were rigged. They contested the victory of
Serzh Sarksyan, who is current President Robert Kocharian’s prime
minister and ally.

Cardinal Bertone is still scheduled to travel Thursday to Azerbaijian,
where he will meet with the head of the Muslim leaders and other
religious officials. He will express to them the Church’s desire to
cooperate in the common commitment to peace, concord among peoples
and the good of the human family.

In Azerbaijian’s capital, Cardinal Bertone will be present at the
inauguration of a new Catholic church built on land donated to Pope
John Paul II by President Heydar Aliyev, father of Azerbaijian’s
current head of state.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN CONGRATULATES DMITRY MEDVEDEV ON HIS VICTORY

armradio.am
03.03.2008 13:13

RA President Robert Kocharyan sent a congratulatory message to
the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry
Medvedev. The message reads:

"I sincerely congratulate you on you election to the post of the
President of the Russian Federation.

We in Armenia highly appreciate the partnership relations between
our countries and the strategic cooperation in all directions.

I’m sure that our countries and peoples will reinforce their friendly
ties, partnership and will expand the mutually beneficial cooperation.

I want to note your great contribution to the development of
Armenian-Russian relations and express confidence that in the high
position of the President of the Russian Federation you will contribute
to the deepening and expansion of these relations.

I wish you sound health, wellbeing and success in your work for eh
benefit of brotherly Russia."

Committee to hear Cerrah again on Dink murder

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
March 1 2008

A parliamentary committee investigating the murder of Agos weekly
Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink announced on Thursday that it would call
Ýstanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah to the stand once more.

The decision came after two senior police officers from Trabzon
accused Cerrah of having ignored a tip-off about the murder plot.

An ultra-nationalist teenager shot Dink dead in broad daylight
outside his newspaper’s Ýstanbul office on Jan. 19, 2007. The ensuing
investigation revealed that the police had been informed of plans to
murder the journalist. Nineteen suspects, 17 of them currently under
arrest, are facing trial on charges of having established a crime gang
to plan the assassination of the ethnic-Armenian editor. A majority
of the suspects, including the hit man, are from Trabzon, where the
local police say they had informed the Ýstanbul police about the plot
to kill Dink on more than one occasion.

Prosecuting lawyers say the police, in addition to having ignored the
warnings, destroyed crucial evidence to protect some of the suspects,
among them a one-time police informant.

A parliamentary subcommittee to Parliament’s Human Rights Commission
was set up to investigate the Dink murder last year. This past
Wednesday the subcommittee heard testimony from Trabzon Police
Intelligence Department Chief Ramazan Akyurek and the former chief
of the same unit, Engin Dinc, who both said they believed Cerrah had
not done enough to prevent the murder.

Akyurek reiterated to the subcommittee that Trabzon police had warned
the Ýstanbul police about the assassination plans. "I am not blaming
anyone for anything. Everybody has to do their job. But if it was
me, I would have ensured that Dink was safe," he said. Ýstanbul
Police Chief Cerrah, who also testified earlier, had said that his
department dismissed the information from Trabzon because it had a
"low" emergency coding.

Also on Wednesday, Dinc told the committee that: "There is no such
thing as ‘low’ or ‘high’ coding. The information given was important.

We did our job and sent the intelligence information." Dinc also
claimed he had called the chief of the Ýstanbul Police Department’s
intelligence unit and "informed them." Dinc said this was reason
enough for them to take measures to protect the slain journalist.

He also told the subcommittee that he had kept Erhan Tuncel under
control. Tuncel, a former police informant from Trabzon, is also a key
suspect in the crime, as is Yasin Hayal, a neo-nationalist suspected
of having groomed the 17-year-old hit man.

The police said Tuncel helped them monitor the activity of
ultra-nationalist groups in Trabzon. Hayal was convicted in the
bombing of a McDonald’s restaurant in Trabzon in 2004 that injured
six people. He was released after serving a 10-month prison sentence.

"Yasin Hayal has serious psychological problems. I put a lot effort
into getting him after that McDonald’s bomb. We captured him in a joint
operation with the Ýstanbul police. I was there at his interrogation;
I saw that he was the type to stage attacks," said Dinc.

A department director for Trabzon police intelligence, Faruk Sarý,
told the subcommittee that Tuncel was fired for not being available
at all times and "slacking off the job."

Hearing testimonies of the two officers, the subcommittee decided to
call Cerrah to testify again in the next few weeks.

01.03.2008

Today’s Zaman with wires Ýstanbul

–Boundary_(ID_sM7qyMm0J8CIt4XhDQBs dw)–

ARMENIA OPPOSITION LEADER JOINS GOVERNMENT
James Kilner

Reuters
Feb 29 2008
UK

YEREVAN, Feb 29 (Reuters) – An Armenian opposition leader agreed on
Friday to head the president’s security council, dealing a blow to
protesters hoping to secure his support in calling for a rerun of a
presidential election.

Thousands of demonstrators have been protesting for 10 days over
the Feb. 19 election of Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan. They say the
election was rigged in his favour and hoped opposition leader Artur
Baghdasaryan would help fight for a rerun.

"I asked Baghdasaryan to head the security council," Sarksyan told a
news briefing. "It’s the third or fourth highest post in the country."

The Security Council is the president’s advisory body and its leader
is among the highest-ranking officials in the country.

Baghdasaryan told reporters: "I would like to thank the newly elected
president for the concrete offer made to me of such a responsible
position."

His agreement with government is unlikely to halt the protests. The
opposition’s main leader is former president Levan Ter-Petrosyan,
who came second in the election with 21.5 percent. Baghdasaryan came
third with 17.7 percent.

Baghdasaryan had held negotiations with Ter-Petrosyan but they failed
to agree to team up against the election result, which Western monitors
described as flawed but broadly in line with Armenia’s international
commitments.

5 OUT 7 ARMENIAN BOXERS DO NOT QUALIFY IN OLYMPIC BOXING RATING TOURNAMENT

Noyan Tapan
Feb 27, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The international olympic
rating boxing tournament has started in the city of Rozetto del
Abrutsi of Italy. 5 out of the 7 Armenian boxers failed and did not
qualify. Moreover, Myasnik Sargsian (81 kg) and Arman Ohanian (91 kg)
were defeated in the third round.

Andranik Hakobian (75 kg) and Derenik Gijlarian (51 kg) are continuing
their struggle in the tournament. The latter has entered the second
stage without a single combat (the competitor has not taken part in
the tournament because of illness).