news.am, Armenia
Dec 19 2009
Safar Abiyev’s mental health, OSCE MG Co-Chairs’ visit to NKR¦: weekly review
11:38 / 12/19/2009Domestic policy
This week has seen interesting developments involving the
parliamentary factions of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP): almost 20 of the Parliament members
representing the parties forming the ruling coalition put their
signatures to a petition for the release of their former colleague
Sasun Mikaelyan. He was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment on a
charge of organizing riots during the post-election period last year
and of illegal possession of weapons. Mikaelyan was recently taken to
hospital and operated on. Most of the signers are either Karabakh war
veterans or businessmen. The petition caused a rather serious
confusion within the ruling coalition. The opposition press
immediately reported that the signers were summoned to the RA
Presidential Administration and tongue-lashed. As regards the RPA’s
official position, the party leaders referred to the lack of legal
underpinnings for dealing with the matter. In any case, the fact that
a number of MPs representing the principal ruling parties signed the
aforementioned document can only be welcomed as showing signs of
political culture, when narrow party interests pass into the
background. So the fuss kicked up over this by the two political camps
was excessive.
The conflict within the ranks of the Social-Democratic Party Hnchakyan
(SDPH) is developing. The disagreements between the SDPH officials in
Armenia and the SDPH leaders have recently developed into open
confrontation. After two members of the SDPH Board in Armenia and some
representatives of SDPH regional chapters issued a joint statement,
SDPH Chairwoman in Armenia Lyudmila Harutyunyan accused SDPH Chairman
Sedrak Achemyan of being in collusion with the Armenian authorities.
According to her, Achemyan is pursuing a divisive policy, trying to
cause the party to withdraw from the Armenian National Congress (ANC)
led by Levon Ter-Petrosyan. She also stressed that most of the
political forces that signed a statement on a special congress to pass
a vote of no confidence in the SDPH Chairwoman in Armenia were
dissolved long ago or never existed at all. Considering the fact that
the SDPH congress was scheduled for January 9, 2010, the following
supposition seems to be most reasonable: the opponents of the party’s
`opposition policy’ and of its main champion Lyudmila Harutyunyan came
to realize they are in minority and can hardly hope for success at the
January 9 congress. That is the reason for their `offensive’ and
attempts to simulate a congress with the authorities’ assistance and
elect new leaders. A closed congress in Tsakhkadzor, where the
opponents of Lyudmila Harutyunyan elected new leaders, corroborated
this supposition: no one ever knew who was present at the congress and
whether those people were party members or not. It is difficult to
forecast the end and which party will come off winner. One thing that
can be said is that the developments are part of the continuous
attempts to form a new political force from the traditional national
parties, which would be loyal to the Armenian authorities. As regards
Lyudmila Harutyunyan’s radical position, it is a serious obstacle to
the political project.
The participation of the Marxist Party of Armenia (MPA) ‘ with its
nearly only member, Secretary General David Hakobyan, who is famous
for his eccentric behavior ` in the ANC is clear now. The whole story
resembles a tragicomedy: Hakobyan used to make statements which had
nothing in common with the ANC’s official position. Thus, the
left-wing ANC members proved to be right ` they warmed Levon
Ter-Petrosyan that admitting the `chief Marxist’ to the ANC would only
be a headache for him. The problem is that the ANC’s Regulations do
not provide for the exclusion of parties or public organizations.
However, David Hakobyan `gave a present’ to the ANC and, seeking
`official registration’ of his dissociation from the ANC over the
recent months, stated that the MPA is leaving the opposition bloc.
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and region
This week a Nagorno-Karabakh parliamentary delegation has visited
Yerevan. Top-ranking officials made a number of most important
statements on the Nagorno-Karabakh process. They reaffirmed the
Armenian side’s readiness for a peaceful settlement of the conflict by
means of mutual, but painful, concessions.
At his meeting with the Nagorno-Karabakh parliamentarians, RA
President Serzh Sargsyan expressed the confidence that a pragmatic and
fair solution to the problem will be found. `We have repeatedly stated
that such solutions must be found as a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process, which will not cause new deportation or ethnic
cleansing. Solutions are available, and the only thing for people to
do is to see them, differentiate dreams from reality, fair solutions
from ambitious ones. I am sure that time will leave no alternative,’
the Armenian leader said. An interesting detail, however, was
overlooked by many: President Sargsyan’s appeal was obviously intended
for two antagonist addressees. His statement on the necessity for a
realistic position at the negotiations was first of all intended for
the Azerbaijani authorities, which are in the habit of making
bellicose statements capable of thwarting the peace process. It is
obvious for all the mediators, key geopolitical players, that it is
the Azeri authorities’ position that remains the only obstacle to a
comprehensive peace agreement. The second addressee of Serzh
Sargsyan’s message is the Nagorno-Karabakh parliamentarians. The
Armenian President must have pointed out the non-constructive position
assumed by some political forces in Nagorno-Karabakh ` the
unacceptability of any territorial concessions to Azerbaijan,
especially concessions involving the security zone round the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). President Sargsyan also addressed the
NKR’s participation in the negotiations. According to him, the
negotiations will be crowned with success provided Nagorno-Karabakh is
immediately involved in them. Thus the Armenian leader once more
showed his dissociation from his predecessor Robert Kocharyan’s
policy, which resulted in the NKR being ousted from the negotiation
process.
During the Nagorno-Karabakh delegation’s visit to Yerevan, the sides
exchanged views on the details not available to the public. Of note
is, however, the constructive and even optimistic opinion voiced by
Speaker of the NKR Parliament Ashot Ghulyan. `The Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process is actually at its active stage. Certain agreements seem
more likely to be reached. On the other hand, the issue of NKR’s
full-scale participation in the negotiations has not yet been
specified. This is of fundamental importance, as it is only the NKR
people’s consent that is a guarantee of executing final decisions,’
Ghulyan said. It was for the first time that a top-ranking NKR
official expressed cautious, but healthy, optimism.
Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev is hardly `running the risk
of’ enjoying good health, especially mental health. It cannot be
helped: that person imagines he is a parrot and, at all of his
meetings, including the ones with representatives of states that have
nothing in common with the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, is
incessantly speaking of the inevitability of military operations if
the negotiations fail. Of course, he finds it difficult to say how
much of its territory Azerbaijan will lose is case hostilities resume.
The Armenian side hardly responds to the Azeri Minister’s statements,
and it is right! However, Safar Abiyev’s persistence makes his
Armenian counterpart respond from time to time. `The threats to settle
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in a military way issued by the
Azerbaijani President and other top-ranking officials do not mean
anything at all, as those planning a war do not warn about it,’ RA
Minister of Defense Seiran Ohanyan told NEWS.am. `I do not think the
resumption of military operations by Azerbaijan is likely, and our
surveys confirm this. Azerbaijan is not ready for war now, but we, the
military, must be always ready,’ Ohanyan said.
In his interview with Azeri media outlets, Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, made interesting
comments on the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ latest visit to the
region. According to him, the mediators were unable to visit Yerevan
for lack of time. He pointed out that the place of the next
Armenian-Azerbaijani presidential meeting has not yet been specified.
It was not the first time that international mediators had stated, to
put it mildly, unconvincing reasons for their not visiting one of the
countries of the region. The most absurd was the reason for their not
visiting Stepanakert ` bad weather. As regards the true reasons why
the OSCE Minks Group Co-Chairs visited Azerbaijan alone, they were
well aware of the fact that official Yerevan clearly outlined the most
substantial concessions the Armenian side is ready for. It is Ilham
Aliyev’s turn now. Considering the developments in the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, the conclusion is that the mediators
visited Baku to persuade the Azeri authorities into changing their
position.
Economy and social life
At his meeting with journalists this week, Aristomene Varoudakis, Head
of the WB office in Yerevan, reported that a U.S. $29m credit program
is being prepared for the Armenian telecommunication sector. A credit
agreement is most likely to be signed next September. Varoudakis
pointed out that the main WB programs provide for reforms in the
Armenian, taxation, customs and telecommunication systems. He pointed
out that U.S. $105m of the Russian loan and U.S. $50m of the WB funds
will be channeled to the private sector. It will help Armenian
businessmen to overcome the crisis. A total of U.S. $10m have been
channeled to the capital construction sector for the certain
construction projects to be completed.
RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s meeting with the rectors of Armenian
higher schools discussed reforms in the higher education system and
further steps. President Sargsyan pointed out regular meetings will be
held from now on. The Armenian leader stressed the importance of
higher-quality education for Armenia’s future. The meeting
participants particularly discussed the problems of acceding to the
Bologna process and introducing a three-stage education and credit
systems. The meeting discussed the organization of foreign citizens’
education. The Armenian President stated he expects the rectors to
advance initiatives and carry out consistent work to successfully
implement the reforms of Armenia’s higher education system.
This week the RA Commission for Lake Sevan held its regular sitting.
Participating in the meeting was Head of the RA Presidential
Administration Karen Karapetyan. Commission Chairman Vladimir
Movsesyan reported on the Commission’s activities this year and
presented a draft work plan for next year. The Commission held a
detailed discussion and proposals for improving the situation.
Relevant construction documents for the renovation of the damaged
3-km-long section of the Arpa-Sevan tunnel were prepared and the work
got under way. Work was also carried out to reduce the water discharge
from Lake Sevan for irrigation and suspend the transfer of the Ararat
Gold Recovery Company to the Sotk basin of the lake.
T.P.