Category: 2018

                                        Thursday, 
Israel Accuses Drone Maker Of Bombing Armenian Soldiers, At Baku's Request
Nagorno-Karabakh -- Smoke from fire rises above the ground in Martakert 
district, after an Israeli-made Azerbaijani "suicide" drone was shot down by 
the Karabakh army, 4 April 2016.
Israel has accused an Israeli drone maker of bombing ethnic Armenian soldiers 
in Nagorno-Karabakh at the request of Azerbaijani clients during a sales 
demonstration, government and local media reported.
The accusation by Israel’s Justice Ministry on Wednesday did not specifically 
mention Azerbaijan or Nagorno-Karabakh in its statement. But Israeli media said 
a complaint filed with the Defense Ministry, which promoted an investigation, 
made it clear that Azerbaijani officials and Armenian soldiers were involved.
The Defense Ministry complaint was leaked to the Maariv newspaper, which first 
reported the incident in August 2017. It was unclear who exactly filed the 
complaint.
In its statement on August 29, the Israeli Justice Ministry said it plans to 
indict the chief executive, deputy CEO, and other officials and employees of 
Aeronautics Defense Systems for the incident, which it said occurred earlier in 
2017.
"Aeronautics and 10 of its employees were informed that they were set to be 
charged, pending a hearing," the Justice Ministry said, according to The Times 
of Israel.
The Aeronautics team is suspected of "fraudulently obtaining something under 
aggravated circumstances," along with violations of Israel's security export 
control law, the newspaper reported.
In response, the Yavneh-based firm said it is “convinced that after we first 
present our position at the hearing, the State Prosecutor’s Office will reach 
an informed decision that there is no reason to put the company or any of its 
officers in court and will order the case closed.”
An official at Azerbaijan’s embassy in Washington declined to comment to RFE/RL 
on an Israeli legal proceeding, saying he did not want to interfere in another 
country’s internal matters.
The Maariv and Times of Israel reports said Aeronautics officials in 2017 were 
working on a potential $20 million deal with Baku, when Azerbaijani officials 
asked them to demonstrate their Orbiter 1K armed drone on Armenian soldiers.
The reports said two employees refused to carry out the attack before two 
higher-ranking executives eventually agreed to do it. They said the drone did 
not directly hit their targets, but two soldiers were injured in the attack.
Israel suspended Aeronautics' export license after the complaint was filed with 
the Defense Ministry, the report said.
According to Karabakh’s Armenian-backed Defense Army, the Azerbaijani military 
most recently attacked its frontline positions with a suicide drone on July 7, 
2017. The commander of an army unit stationed in northeastern Karabakh said 
that two of his soldiers were lightly wounded in the incident.
The Azerbaijani army heavily used similar suicide drones manufactured by 
another Israeli company during the April 2016 hostilities in Karabakh. Baku had 
bought the Harop drones as part of multimillion-dollar defense contracts signed 
with Israeli arms manufacturers.
Armenia has long expressed concern at the Israeli-Azerbaijani arms deals, 
saying that they undermine international efforts to end the Karabakh conflict.
The drone scandal was exposed by the Israeli paper more than two weeks after 
Israeli Minister of Regional Cooperation Tzachi Hanegbi visited Yerevan in an 
apparent bid to improve his country’s frosty relationship with Armenia. Hanegbi 
met with then Prime Minister Karen Karapetian and other senior Armenian 
officials in late July 2017.
Armenia Explores Arms Deals With India
        • Sargis Harutyunyan
Pinaka Missile system
Armenia is exploring the possibility of buying rocket systems and other weapons 
manufactured by India for its armed forces, the Defense Ministry said on 
Wednesday.
“A group of our military officials, who are India at the moment, are looking 
into Indian weapons and several of them are of interest to us,” the ministry 
spokesman, Artsrun Hovannisian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service.
“The Indian defense industry has quite interesting solutions on various 
offensive and defensive weapons which interest us,” he said. “But I can’t speak 
of any concrete projects or agreements right now.”
The Times of India daily last week quoted a senior executive of an Indian 
defense firm as saying that the Armenian military is showing an interest in the 
Pinaka multiple-launch rocket systems manufactured by it.
“We carried out extensive firing trials for their delegation last month at 
Pokhran in Rajasthan,” said KM Rajan of the Defense Research and Development 
Organization. “The results were excellent.”
Hovannisian said in this regard that Pinaka, which has a firing range up to 75 
kilometers, does not represent Armenia’s “sole and greatest interest” in Indian 
weapons. But he did not elaborate.
Another Armenian Defense Ministry delegation visited India and toured a number 
of Indian defense enterprises in May 2017. The ministry said it discussed with 
Indian officials “mutually beneficial variants of developing cooperation in 
this direction.”
The Indian ambassador in Yerevan, Yogeshwar Shangwan, said afterwards that his 
country is ready to deepen relations with “friendly” Armenia “in all areas.” 
“Even in the area of defense, we are open to cooperation with Armenia,” he told 
RFE/RL’s Armenian service in June 2017.
India - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with Armenian President Serzh 
Sarkisian in New Delhi, 3Nov2017.
India’s arch-foe Pakistan staunchly supports Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh 
conflict, refusing to not only establish diplomatic relations with Armenia but 
also formally recognize the latter as an independent state. Azerbaijani 
President Ilham Aliyev said after October 2016 talks in Baku with then 
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that the two Muslim nations will step up 
bilateral defense cooperation.
Russia has been by far the most important supplier of weapons and other 
military hardware to the Armenian army. Hovannisian said Yerevan now wants to 
somewhat diversify its arms procurements.
“Of course we seek to work with a single supplier in order to facilitate the 
process of delivery, maintenance and training [of military personnel,]” said 
the official. “But there are weapons that should be acquired from other states 
because opportunities are numerous. And India, by the way, is one of those 
countries which have made huge progress in this area in the last 15-20 years.”
Turkish American Lobbyist Arrested In Armenia
        • Emil Danielyan
Armenia - Turkish American activist Kemal Oksuz is questioned by Armenian 
police, .
The former head of a Turkish American lobbying group that had cooperated with 
Azerbaijan’s government has been detained in Armenia on an arrest warrant 
issued by U.S. law-enforcement authorities.
Kemal (Kevin) Oksuz used to run the Texas-based Turquoise Council of Americans 
and Eurasians as well as the Assembly of the Friends of Azerbaijan. The two 
groups came under scrutiny after organizing in 2013 an all-expenses-paid visit 
to Azerbaijan by 10 members and 32 staffers of the U.S. Congress.
The Washington Post reported in 2015 that the trip was secretly funded by 
Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil company SOCAR in violation of U.S. congressional 
rules. Citing a confidential report by the U.S. Office of Congressional Ethics, 
the paper said that through the groups headed by Oksuz SOCAR spent $750,000 for 
that purpose.
The report led the Ethics Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives to 
launch an inquiry. Oksuz reportedly refused to testify in the probe.
The Armenian police revealed on Thursday that Oksuz subsequently moved to 
Armenia and set up a company there. In a statement, the police said that U.S. 
law-enforcement authorities issued an international arrest warrant for him on 
August 23.
The American citizen of Turkish descent is wanted in the United States for 
lying to the House Ethics Committee about foreign funding received by his 
organizations, the statement said, adding that he was arrested in Yerevan on 
Wednesday.
The police also released a short video of Oksuz’s first interrogation. Oksuz 
was shown admitting that SOCAR, which is closely linked to the Azerbaijani 
government, covered the travel expenses of the U.S. officials and gave them 
expensive gifts in 2013. “That may have been corruption, I don’t know,” he said.
It was not clear why he decided to relocate to Armenia, a country that has 
strained relations with both Turkey and Azerbaijan. Oksuz admitted that just 
like other Turkish American activists he had lobbied the Congress against 
recognizing the 1915 Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey.
“The Armenian Diaspora [in the United States] is strong and does a good job,” 
he told the police. “The Azerbaijani lobby is nothing. They only spend money on 
lobbying but achieve nothing.”
Reporting on Oksuz’s arrest, the pro-government Turkish newspaper “Sabah” 
referred to him as a “high-ranking” loyalist of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based 
Turkish cleric facing coup charges in Turkey. The paper also called his 
Turquoise Council of Americans a “Gulenist umbrella organization.”
Thousands of Gulen supporters have been jailed in Turkey since a failed 2016 
coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Government Seeks To Criminalize Vote Buying In Armenia
        • Anush Muradian
Armenia - A polling station in Yerevan, 2Apr2017.
The Armenian government moved on Thursday to make it a criminal offense to buy 
or sell votes in elections held in the country.
Armenia’s existing legislation already bans parties and individual candidates 
from handing out or promising cash, other material benefits and services to 
voters during election campaigns. The practice is punishable only by fines.
Draft amendments to the Armenian Criminal Code approved by Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian’s cabinet call for prison sentences for anyone buying or attempting 
to buy votes.
What is more, they stipulate that Armenians selling their votes will also face 
imprisonment. But such voters will avoid prosecution if they confess to taking 
vote bribes within three days after an election, according to the government 
bill which is expected to be debated by the Armenian parliament next week.
Vote buying was widespread in just about every major election held in Armenia 
in the last two decades. Former President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party of 
Armenia (HHK) was accused by its opponents and media of heavily relying on the 
practice in the last parliamentary polls held in April 2017.Observers from the 
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said that they were marred 
by “many credible reports” of vote buying.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Pashinian said the bill, if passed by the 
parliament, will help to significantly improve the conduct of future Armenian 
elections, including municipal polls in Yerevan slated for September 23.
Press Review
“Zhamanak” reports that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s Civil Contract party 
has teamed up with his other supporters to run in next month’s municipal 
elections in Yerevan. The paper notes that it will be the first ballot held 
after the recent “velvet revolution” in Armenia and it could prove the most 
democratic in the country’s history. It says at the same time that with 
Pashinian remaining very popular the elections will hardly be competitive.
“Zhoghovurd” says that Vahram Baghdasarian, a senior lawmaker from the 
Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), was right to say on Wednesday that the HHK 
would not have avoided mass anti-government protests last spring even if it had 
not installed Serzh Sarkisian as prime minister. The paper says that the HHK 
had long retained power through vote rigging and repression. “So it is natural 
that anyone nominated by the HHK for the post of prime minister would have met 
with public resistance,” it says.
“Aravot” reports that residents of seven villages in northwestern Armenia 
blocked a major highway to protest against their incorporation into a single 
community. “This is a highly sensitive issue,” writes the paper. “Many 
arguments are made for and against such a [community] consolidation. It is hard 
to tell whether not the protesters’ demands are justified.” The paper complains 
about offensive comments on social media about the protests.
(Tigran Avetisian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2018 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org

Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 30 2018
Armenia expects a significant breakthrough in the construction of the
Meghri hydroelectric power station on the border with Iran
Yerevan August 29
Alexander Avanesov. Armenia expects a significant breakthrough in the
construction project of Meghri HPPon the river Araks at Iranian border
. On August 29, RA Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural
Resources Arthur Grigoryan stated this at the press conference in
Yerevan, responding to the question of ArmInfo.
According to him, negotiations on the construction of the Meghri
hydropower plant have been in progress since 2006, numerous documents
have been signed, and real progress in this there is still no
progress. The Armenian side presented to its Iranian partners certain
proposals on this project and is waiting for a response in the nearest
future. "On September 2-3, the Armenian delegation hopes to get the
final answer on the Meghri hydropower station during the visit to
Iran," said Arthur Grigoryan.
Earlier, ArmInfo informed that the Mejlis of Iran at the meeting of 18
April, with162 votes "for", 5 "against" and 5 abstentions approved the
bill on the construction of a hydroelectric power station on the Araks
River. The Meghri hydropower plant was considered the most promising
joint Armenian-Iranian project. Although the parties have come to the
final stage of the project and announced the start of construction in
November 2012, the work has not been started yet because of the
limitations of Tehran because of the sanctions. If the project is
completed, the station will become the largest in the Transcaucasus.
According to the project, the construction of a $ 323 million facility
will be financed by the Iranian investment company. Armenia will pay
for its part of the project with electricity produced at the
hydroelectric station itself, and after 15 years the hydroelectric
power station will be transferred to the Armenian side. While the
Armenian-Iranian economic relations can not move from the dead point,
after the lifting of sanctions, economic ties between Tehran and Baku
sharply intensified.
The Iranian parliament approved a bill on the joint construction of
two hydroelectric power stations with Azerbaijan. The bill allows
construction of power plants near the Araks River in the border area,
in the Iranian city of Marazad and the Azerbaijani city of Ordubad.
The document provides for cooperation in the construction of power
stations at the dams of Khoda Afarin and Gyz Galasy, on the Araks
River, as well as the construction of the Ordubad Power Station on the
Azerbaijani side and the power plant in Marazada on the Iranian side.
The ArmInfo agency reported that if the project is implemented, the
water volumes for the Meghri hydropower plant in Armenia may simply
not be enough. Earlier, adviser to the Minister of Energy
Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia Areg Galstyan stated
that due to environmental problems related to the reduction of water
volumes in the Araks River, as well as the increase of water intakes
from Turkey in the northern part of Armenia, it was necessary to
revise this project in the direction of power reduction. If initially
it was planned to build two stations (Meghri - Armenia, Karachilar -
Iran) for 130 MW each and a total power generation of about 850
million kW per year, now the option is considered with a capacity of
100 MW. In this regard, the diameter of the tunnel has been changed,
along which water will flow between the two hydroelectric power
stations.

Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 30 2018
Robert Kocharian: it's not just a criminal case, it's a political vendetta
Yerevan August 29
Naira Badalian. Former President Robert Kocharian returned to Armenia
in the hope that "the judicial and legal system is not completely
jammed under the executive power." He stated this in an exclusive
interview with NTV regarding the reasons for his return to Armenia.
"I came back, I was in Greece, I came back, completely realizing that
I could be arrested, it's obvious that people, let's say, my type, do
not run away from difficulties." Still, there was some hope that the
judicial and legal system is not completely jammed under the executive
power, and although some degree of independence of the courts still
exists, I came to fight for my honor and dignity, "Kocharian said.
According to him, the case against him is "sewn with white threads".
"Immunity is just a small part of the defense line. I came back here
to defend my dignity and honor, not only because I have immunity, but
also because the entire criminal case is sewn with white threads.
There is no criminal case at all, "- said the 2 nd president. At the
same time, he noted that this statement is based on the fact that he
is familiar with the criminal case, but because of the secrecy of the
investigation cannot now talk about its details.
"I am charged with overthrowing the constitutional order. Can you
imagine? The president, as the guarantor of the constitution,
occupying this post, it turns out, overthrew himself: They tried to
find some formula of the indictment in priests. This suggests that it
is not just a criminal case, it's a political vendetta: Why did I
suddenly become a target after 10 years of quiet life outside the
presidential seat and out of power in general? 10 years ago there were
elections, and I had only a month or two before the end of my second
term, and there were elections that ended with the first round, and
Serzh Sargsyan was elected president, with 53% of the vote, followed
by the first president of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, with 21% of
the vote. declared himself elected President, in all respects of the
declared that he scored about 65% of the vote and started permanent
protests in central Yerevan. The rallies were not sanctioned, and the
slogans at the rallies were as follows: "We must dismantle the state
power."
Further, appeals were made to the army, to the security forces, an
attempt to involve them in the process was evident for 7 days. During
this time, the CEC recognized the results of the elections as
legitimate, the Constitutional Court further upheld the decision of
the CEC, the conclusion of all major international observers was
positive, including observers from the OSCE, the Council of Europe.
The whole electoral cycle was completed successfully enough, but the
whole thing ended in a skirmish between the demonstrators and the
police, and as a result, 10 people were killed, two of them policemen.
Ten years later, those who organized these mass riots came to power
who were convicted of organizing mass riots. So I'm talking about a
political vendetta. That is, ten years later those who lost those
elections came to power. And today all their thoughts are occupied
with how to pay off with people whom they consider enemies ", -
Kocharyan.
Thus, according to Kocharyan, there are no grounds for instituting a
criminal case: "I was president, I do not understand how I could
overthrow the constitutional system, being the president who needs to
leave in a month."
To recall, second Armenian President Robert Kocharian was imprisoned
on July 28. The ex-president was charged under part 1 of Article 300.1
of the RA Criminal Code - overthrowing the constitutional order of the
Republic of Armenia by preliminary collusion with other persons, which
provides for deprivation of liberty from ten to fifteen years in the
criminal case on dispersal of protest actions on March 1-2, 2008 .

Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 30 2018
Kocharyan: the new Armenian government simply does not understand what
the mechanism of state administration means
Yerevan August 29
Naira Badalian. What is happening in Armenia is simply unrestrained
populism, the consequences of which for a long time will restrain the
development of the country. This opinion was expressed by the
ex-President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, accused of overthrowing the
constitutional order in an exclusive interview with NTV.
According to him, the new government of Armenia simply does not
understand what the mechanism of state administration means. "It is
interesting, but the prices for electricity, utilities, pensions,
salaries, tax code, can also be discussed in this area? This is not
only a matter of lack of experience: it is a matter of total
misunderstanding, what is a state management mechanism, that such a
separation of powers, "he said. According to Kocharyan, there is a
revolutionary euphoria that cannot last long. "Do you know at least
one example of at least one revolution, after which people's lives
have become better? Maybe it's Egypt, maybe it's Tunisia, maybe it's
Syria, maybe it's Libya?" The life of people has deteriorated a lot.
Maybe it's Ukraine? In addition to the loss of territory, the quality
of life of people has dropped markedly, maybe this is Georgia, it is
the loss of territory, give me one example, I see no reason why we
should be better, "R. Kocharyan said.
In response to a question about whether he has new premier ambitions,
Kocharian noted that he does not want to say about it: "I do not want
to talk about the future. Why did I decide to return to politics,
because right now I expressed a lot of anxiety, and I cannot stay away
from all this. I would not have done this if this anxiety had not
pushed me into politics. "

ArmenPress
Aug 29 2018
Necessity of 2015 constitutional reforms will be proved by time, Republicans say
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. Republicans disagree with former
President Robert Kocharyan’s opinion whereby former President Serzh
Sargsyan failed because of the Constitutional reforms and the attempt
to take office as prime minister, Republican Party (HHK) spokesperson
Eduard Sharmazanov told reporters today in the parliament.
Sharmazanov, who also serves as Deputy Speaker of Parliament, said
that Kocharyan’s opinions about the Constitutional reforms aren’t new.
“Oppositionists of the constitutional reforms, including Robert
Kocharyan, have expressed their assessments. I can only reiterate my
opinion and our party’s opinion: there was a necessity for the
constitutional reforms and for transitioning into a parliamentary
system of administration, and I find it to be a very positive step in
terms of strengthening democracy and national security in Armenia.
Time will show that the complete transition into a parliamentary
system stemmed from priorities of state security and state interest,”
Sharmazanov said.
He also disagrees with Kocharyan over the latter’s opinion that Serzh
Sargsyan amended the Constitution to rule for a third term. According
to Sharmazanov, Serzh Sargsyan’s April 17 election stemmed out of
state interests of Armenia.
“At that time the HHK garnered political majority in the election and
according to the Constitution we had to decide whom to entrust the
office of prime minister. We in our team do not have a more prepared,
more wise, more experienced figure to realize national security and
protect Artsakh’s interest other than Serzh Sargsyan,” Sharmazanov
said.
However, Sharmazanov also did not rule out that Republicans might
cooperate with Robert Kocharyan despite the disagreements over the
abovementioned issues.
“We have our political agenda, we are ready to struggle for the
strengthening of the Republic of Armenia together with all those
figures who share our opinion. Our struggle isn’t against any
particular one, but rather for the strengthening of our homeland,” he
said.
Eduard Sharmazanov also noted that Kocharyan has still things to say
and do in politics.
In an interview to the Russian NTV, former President of Armenia Robert
Kocharyan had said that Sargsyan’s failure and the revolution of April
was caused by the Constitutional reforms initiated by Sargsyan himself
and his aspiration to maintain power for a third term.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

IRNA , Iran
Aug 29 2018
Iran, Armenia underline finalizing electricity transfer project
Tehran
Officials from Iran and Armenia on Saturday urged finalizing the
project for setting up Line 3 of the network for exchange of
electricity. Iran's Deputy Energy Minister Homayoon Haeri and Armenian
Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources Artur
Grigoryan, during a meeting in Yerevan, discussed development of the
project. The Iranian deputy minister said timely implementation of the
third line of the network for electricity transfer to Armenia is one
of the main parts of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the
republic. Haeri said implementation of the project is part of the
multilateral cooperation corridor among Iran, Armenia, Georgia and
Russia. The Armenian minister, for his part, referred to his country's
plans for upgrading relations with Iran, expressing readiness to help
finalization of the electricity project with Iran. The two sides
underlined the resolve of both sides to pursue the agreements reached
during a joint commission meeting and to bring into force the already
signed documents, particularly those in the area of energy.

IRNA , Iran
Aug 29 2018
Iran, Armenia sign agricultural MoU
Tehran
 Iran’s cultural attache in Armenia said that the country’s Fund for
Developing Business and an Iranian company signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) to jointly produce agricultural machinery.
According to Iran Trade Development Organization’s website, Mohsen
Rahimi added that the deal was signed in a ceremony in Armenia
attended by the deputies of the country’s agriculture and economy
ministers. Based on the agreement, Iranian company will export all
types of agricultural machinery parts to Armenia and will assembly
them in the country. Armenian Fund for Developing Business will
cooperate with the Iranian company in the field of easing
administrative procedures, participation in exhibitions and commercial
events, technical assistance and information dissemination. At the
first stage, Iran will export CKD parts worth one million dollars to
Armenia to put them together there, Rahimi said. Iranian company also
plans to export parts to the other Eurasian member states in addition
to Armenia. Armenia, a country of three million people, gained
independence in 1991 following collapse of the Soviet Union.

IRNA , Iran
Aug 29 2018
Iran, Armenia underline solving trade disputes
Tehran
Iran’s Ambassador to Armenia Seyyed Kazem Sajjadi and Chairman of
Armenia's Investigative Committee Hayk Grigoryan stressed the need for
promoting ties among the judicial and inspection institutes and
solving trade differences. During the meeting, Sajjadi underlined
cooperation and exchange of experience among the two countries’
inspection organizations and called for dealing with the cases of
their nationals’ offenses, especially commercial ones. He also
maintained that solving the differences will help promote all-out
political and economic relations between Tehran and Yerevan. The envoy
also welcomed the two countries’ cooperation in fighting money
laundering and drug trafficking. Grigoryan, for his part, called for
immediate resolution of judicial cases of the Iranian nationals and
stressed the need for boosting ties between the two countries’
inspection institutes. Armenia, a country of three million people,
gained independence in 1991 following collapse of the Soviet Union.