Armenian defence minister unruffled by speaker’s resignation

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
12 May 06

[Presenter] Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan does not regard
the Orinats Yerkir [Law-Governed Country] Party’s decision to quit the
ruling coalition as an extraordinary situation. Sarkisyan said that
all talk about a conflict was an exaggeration and existing
disagreements simply came to a logical end.
[Sarkisyan] I do not think that some extraordinary situation has come
about here. I advise you not to look for any underlying reasons. The
[ruling] coalition, which consisted of three political parties, was
set up in 2003 and now one of them has decided to quit because of
disagreements with the two others.
[Correspondent] Can we say that Sarkisyan gained a victory over
[parliament speaker Artur] Bagdasaryan and sidelined him from the
presidential election? [Sarkisyan] I think it would be good if you
put this question to Bagdasaryan because I do not think that there
have been conflict between us or that we have been fighting over
something.

Armenian president, OSCE head discuss bilateral cooperation
Arminfo
13 May 06
Yerevan, 13 May: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today met OSCE
Secretary-General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut who is visiting Yerevan
to attend the opening ceremony of a plant to process rocket fuel
components – melange.
The president welcomed the OSCE secretary-general and highly assessed
cooperation with this organization, the presidential press service has
told Arminfo. The sides discussed in detail developments in OSCE
member countries and reforms within the organization. At the request
of the guest, Kocharyan briefed him on the current stage of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict settlement. He pointed out that the process
is continuing under the aegis of the OSCE and quite an effective
format has been chosen.
The sides also touched on relations between Armenia and Turkey.

Speaker’s resignation to weaken party, consolidate government
– Armenian paper
Hayots Ashkharh, Yerevan
13 May 06
Text of report by Armenian newspaper Hayots Ashkharh on 13 May
headlined “The labyrinth that ended in deadlock”
It seems at first sight that as a party with several thousand members
and an ambitious leader, the Law-Governed Country Party [LGCP] that
left the ruling coalition will become the main driving force in
domestic political developments.
But let us try to understand what really happened. The LGCP was set up
as the most classical “ruling party” and its leader has always been
considered to be a politician that is equally close to the former and
incumbent authorities.
So what will happen to the party which does not have a specific
ideology after its leaves the ruling coalition? It is clear that 80-90
per cent of the party members will gradually leave it and join other
new parties that are formed day by day.
Moreover, one should not forget that the leader of the LGCP as well as
its rank-and-file members have never had features typical of the
opposition, since populism does not at all mean that one has the
necessary revolutionary features to fight and win.
The LGCP will be absolutely disappointed as it will not find its place
in the political field. At present, the LGCP is a potential opponent
for other opposition forces. And very soon they will start saying that
the LGCP is simply an attempt to form a false opposition force.
In fact, neither the authorities nor the opposition can see the LGCP
as a reliable partner. For the opposition, it is an ambitious newcomer
with a doubtful past, and for the ruling coalition, it is a deserter.
We think that after failure to legally inherit power, [LGCP leader
Artur] Bagdasaryan will be disappointed this time, too. He cannot play
a uniting role even in the pro-Western sector of the opposition. It
will be very difficult for him to gain a victory over [Democratic
Party leader] Aram Sarkisyan, and he is lagging behind [Heritage Party
leader] Raffi Ovanesyan and [National and Democratic Party leader]
Vazgen Manukyan by his intellectual potential.
Now about serious external expectations. In the West one can hardly
think of banking on the “burnt card” as Bagdasaryan had attracted the
West’s attention as Armenian official No 2. But at present, the
situation has changed a lot.
But what consequences will the LGCP’s step have for other parties of
the ruling coalition? We think they will have temporary problems that
can be settled, the vacant seats of officials will be quickly occupied
and life will go on.
Moreover, the absence of the LGCP and its ambitious leader might play
a consolidating role for the entire government.
Thus, until the parliamentary election of 2007 the parliament will
have three opposition factions that will prevail over the Justice and
National Unity factions by their clamour, but noticeably lag behind by
their rating and authority.

Iranian expert notes weakness of Tehran’s policy on Azerbaijan
Zerkalo, Baku
13 May 06
Iranian expert Jalal Mohammadi who is thought to be close to President
Mahmud Ahmadinezhad has said that Iran has not yet forgiven Azerbaijan
for anti-Iranian remarks made during the second congress of the
Azerbaijani diaspora in Baku on 16 March.
In an exclusive interview with the Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo,
Mohammadi said that “the anti-Iranian statements made at the second
congress of Azerbaijanis in Baku show the weakness of Iran’s policy on
Azerbaijan and cause distrust between the two countries. Iran has
recognized Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and the fact of Nagornyy
Karabakh’s occupation, whereas Baku allows some suspicious people to
speak out against Iran’s territorial integrity.
Such statements create a good basis for Armenia and other unfriendly
countries to carry out intensive activities against our cooperation.
Iran’s retaliatory reaction to statements that question its
territorial integrity will be known in the future.”
The expert ruled out an orange revolution in Azerbaijan, saying that
the opposition is not supported by the people. Only the US embassy in
Baku supports the opposition, Zerkalo quoted him as saying.
Mohammadi linked the West’s determination to resolve the Karabakh
conflict to internal problems in Armenia and Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan’s
international ties and the geopolitical situation. He said that it is
impossible to liberate the occupied territories at the negotiating
table, Zerkalo reported.
The expert believes that many countries use the conflict in their own
interests, trying to maintain the status quo. He said that they are
not interested in the conflict settlement at all. Mohammadi added that
France, Russia and Turkey want the conflict to continue, Zerkalo said.
“Turkey connects the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict to Armenian-Turkish
relations and interstate problems. Using the fact of Karabakh’s
occupation, Ankara is trying to prove Armenia’s aggressive policy and
defend itself from the psychological and political pressure of the
Armenian lobby which is demanding that Turkey recognize the Armenian
genocide in the Ottoman Empire,” the expert said.

Russia begins removing armour from military base in Georgia
RTR Russia TV, Moscow
13 May 06
[Presenter] Russia is withdrawing from its military base in
Akhalkalaki, Georgia. The first convoy of equipment and weaponry was
put together today. The base will be vacated by the end of this
year. Our correspondent Aleksandr Rogatkin is in Akhalkalaki.
[Video report shows tanks moving, heavy vehicles being loaded at
railway sidings, military officers and personnel, local people]
[Correspondent] The tanks will go to the station at Tsalka under their
own steam. That’s about 100 km from here. There they’ll be loaded onto
railway trailers.
[Igor Konoshenkov, adjutant to commander-in-chief of Russian Ground
Troops, captioned] Equipment and weaponry will leave from this station
and go via Azerbaijan. Wheeled vehicles and some of our armour will be
loaded up today.
Heavy equipment will be loaded up onto rail trailers on the 14th [of
May] and on the 15th, under the agreement with Georgia, in the morning
of that day, the first convoy will depart for Russia.
[Correspondent] The convoy’s destination is Makhachkala. From there,
the equipment will be sent on to various units in the North Caucasus
Military District. A hundred and fifty officers at the Akhalkalaki
base will be given new postings. The conscripts, of whom there are
nearly 600, will be gradually discharged into the reserve. The
Armenian community here usually stage protests against the base’s
closure but this time everything went smoothly.
[David Rostokyan, Armenian community leader, Akhalkalaki] We’ve been
saying, and we still say that the Russian military base is a factor
for stability and security. If the Russians leave this region so
abruptly, the likelihood of a conflict will be much greater.
[Correspondent] The plan is to send about 20 convoys of heavy armour
by September. Some armour and armaments will also be moved to a base
in Armenia.
Under the agreement with Georgia, the last Russian soldier should go
from Akhalkalaki base by the end of 2007.

Turkish minister says Greek “genocide” monument, French resolution
could harm relations

Anatolia news agency, Ankara
12 May 06
Izmir: Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has
said that the erection of a monument to commemorate the so-called
“Greek Pontusian genocide” in Thessaloniki, Greece, overshadowed the
improving friendly relations between Turkey and Greece.
Interviewed by an Anatolia correspondent in Izmir upon arriving for a
visit there, Gul noted that Izmir mayor and his team had done the
right thing by deciding not to sign a protocol twinning Izmir and
Thessaloniki in response to the erection of the monument.
Gul pointed out that bilateral relations between Turkey and Greece
were making encouraging progress, adding that they had been informed
that some non-government organizations in Turkey would take steps and
that a monument to those who lost their lives during the War of
Liberation would be erected in Kesan.
Emphasizing that neither country could benefit from such retaliatory
steps, Gul went on to say, “Such things were done in the past and they
proved to be useless over the long term. Thus, such actions, offending
the other side, should have been avoided. I believe the mayor’s
decision was right.”
Gul also disclosed that they were making serious efforts about a
resolution -recently tabled in the French parliament – qualifying the
denial of the so-called “Armenian genocide” as a crime.
Pointing out that their efforts were not aimed at provoking the public
but cautioning France about the possible consequences of the
resolution – which would deeply offend Turkey – before it was too
late, Gul said they had summoned Turkish ambassadors in Ottawa and
Paris to Ankara to get detailed information about the matter.
“This is an issue which concerns not only the government but also the
public,” Gul said, adding that French non-government organizations and
businessmen had cautioned their government that the resolution, if
adopted by the French parliament, would harm bilateral ties.
Gul noted that he had also discussed the matter with French Foreign
Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy at length and said, “As far as I can
see, the French government is also making utmost efforts. Sometimes
issues connected with domestic politics could seriously hurt a
country’s broader interests. I believe the French government will
place a higher priority on French interests.”
[Passage omitted]

Climate of fear reigning in Armenia – speaker
Arminfo
12 May 06

Yerevan, 12 May: The mass departure of businessmen MPs from the
faction of the Orinats Yerkir (Law-Governed Country) Party is due to
the climate of fear reigning in Armenia, the speaker of the Armenian
National Assembly and leader of the Orinats Yerkir Party, Artur
Bagdasaryan, said at a news conference today.
“I do not blame the MPs who quit our party because they took this step
out of fear. The climate reigning in the republic frightened these
people so much that as soon as they heard about disagreements between
me and President Robert Kocharyan, they hurried to leave our party,”
Bagdasaryan said. I have shared bread and salt with the MPs who quit
the party for many years, he said.
[Passage omitted: The Orinats Yerkir Party decided to quit the ruling
coalition yesterday]

DRAUGHT YEAR 2001
Lragir.am
13 may 06
In 2011 the secondary schools of Armenia will not have alumni,
announced the deputy minister of education Norayr Ghukasyan on May
11. Fortunately, it will last for only a year. The `eclipse of alumni’
is determined by the transition to eleven-year secondary education in
2001. Children who went to school in 2000 will study for 10 years and
will leave school in 2010. Children who went to school in 2001 will
study for 11 years and will leave school in 2012, and the secondary
schools will have no alumni for a year. However, it is good that the
teaching staffs learn this several years ahead. It is bad for the
alumni of 2010, however. If no one is going to leave school in 2011,
and consequently fewer students will go to universities, the income of
the school and university teachers will go down, because there will be
no one to buy presents for teachers and there will be less bribing and
presents on admittance. And since the teaching staffs learned this
years ahead, the `scrupulous’ representatives of this system will
surely try to fill the gap of this drought’ year the year that will
come before, in other words, the alumni of 2010 will have to `pay’ for
the alumni-free year too. It is also possible, however, that the
scrupulous teachers and professors start thinking for themselves in
2006, to fill in the gap of 2011 little by little. In this case, the
burden of the alumni of 2010 will be divided to the upcoming five
years.
However, it is also possible that the burden of `compensation’ is laid
on the shoulders of the alumni of the year coming after the year of
`drought’.
In other words, they may begin spending more than the alumni before
2011. In that case we may be sure that it will become a fixed price,
and will never drop. And who knows, maybe the transition to an 11-year
school education in 2001 was intended to create an artificial deficit
of alumni to cause the prices go up. In economy when they want to
increase the price of a product, they create an artificial
deficit. And we know that by a tradition of decades the system of
education has come to form a visibly essential part of the GDP of
Armenia, even though its black structure.

WHICH IS BETTER, ELECTORAL FRAUD BY SKINHEADS OR TEACHERS?
Lragir.am
13 may 06
A striking tendency can be observed inside the Armenian system of
governance. Government officials multiply their positions, mainly at
the expense of the sphere of education. On May 12 Andranik Margaryan,
Prime Minister of Armenia over the past 6 years, alumni of the
Department of Cybernetics of SEU, was elected chair of the Council of
Alumni of SEU. During the meeting of the Council of Alumni Andranik
Margaryan was elected unanimously. May 12 is apparently a lucky date
for Andranik Margaryan, for six years ago this day he was appointed
prime minister of Armenia, and at that time nobody thought that
Andranik Margaryan would become the most long-lived prime minister in
the modern history of the Republic of Armenia. The prime minister, of
course, announced after a year of office that the work of a prime
minister is like that of a gladiator. It would be interesting to know
how the prime minister will characterize the position of chair of the
Council of Alumni. Considering that this is a technical university,
the prime minister will probably compare his new position to a
terminator.
After Serge Sargsyan the prime minister is the second to take up
leadership of a society of alumni. The minister of defense is the
leader of the alumni of Yerevan State University. By the number of
alumni SEU apparently is not inferior to the State University, which
is already a big benefit. But if Serge Sargsyan has taken up the
higher education system, Andranik Margaryan is gradually getting hold
of the secondary education system. He demonstratively admitted school
teachers to his political party on May 1 to demonstrate that for him a
teacher is the real worker. There is nothing left to do but to
persuade teachers that election is the real job. And this will not
take much effort.
An implicit remark that the lay-off policy was not finished or needed
revision would be enough.
On the other hand, it is commendable that the government elite of
Armenia have `taken up’ the sphere of education with such zest. Itis
commendable and reassuring. It is much better when school and
university teachers falsify the election that skinheads. While you are
trying to teach skinheads something, the OSCE has already learned
everything. Whereas there will be no need to teach teachers and
professors, they would teach others rather. Besides, itis beneficial
for the voter too. A skinhead hits, a teacher explains.

HOW ARE ALUMNI OF ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY GOING TO LOOK EACH OTHER IN
THE FACE?
Lragir.am
13 may 06
In the May 2 meeting of the Council of Alumni of the State Engineering
University of Armenia, the new staff of the council including 29
members was elected. The staff is rather interesting. Besides the
election of Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan chair of the council, a
number of businessmen, proprietor members of parliament and ministers
were included in the council of alumni.
However, it is hard to imagine how the council is going to work if its
members dislike one another.
For instance, Members of Parliament Areg Ghukasyan and the owner of
Yerevan Beer Factory Ahsot Baghdasaryan are members of the council.
Businessman Hrant Vardanyan is also member of the council. The latter
does not `get on well’ with Areg Ghukasyan and Ashot Baghdasaryan.
Moreover, Hrant Vardanyan has banned AR Channel belonging to him to
video or show them either in the parliament or anywhere else. If this
rule is broken, and these persons despised by Hrant Vardanyan appear
on AR, the salary of the guilty is cut. One can only imagine how these
people are going to take care of the State Engineering University
together and take pride in being alumni of this university.