Author: Karapet Navasardian

                                        Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Karabakh Leader Reelected
July 19, 2017

 . Hovannes Movsisian


Czech Republic - Karabakh President Bako Sahakian gives an interview
to RFE/RL's Armenian service in Prague, 12Jun2016.

Lawmakers in Nagorno-Karabakh voted on Wednesday to extend the
decade-long rule of its president, Bako Sahakian, by three years, a
move criticized by his political opponents.

Sahakian, 56, was reelected at the end of his second five-year term in
office. He was not allowed to stay in power longer before Karabakh
enacted a new constitution in a referendum held in February.

The new constitution calls for the Armenian-populated region's
transition by 2020 to a fully presidential system of government which
will lead to the abolition of the post of prime minister. The
authorities in Stepanakert say this change will put Karabakh in a
better position to cope with the unresolved conflict with
Azerbaijan. Their opponents maintain, however, Sahakian is simply keen
to cling to power.

Karabakh will be governed by an interim president until
2020. Sahakian's candidacy for that post was backed by 28 of the 33
members of the local parliament representing three political parties
allied to him. His sole challenger, former Stepanakert Mayor Eduard
Aghabekian, got four votes.

Addressing the legislature before the vote, Sahakian said that
Karabakh will need continued "stability" during the three-year
transition period. He also defended his track record, saying that his
administration has strengthened democracy and sped up economic growth
in the last ten years.

By contrast, Aghabekian made a case for a leadership change in
Stepanakert, saying that countries stagnate when they are ruled by the
same person or government for too long. The opposition candidate, who
leads a party called Movement-88, also said that the current
authorities have for years ignored his calls for strengthening the
Karabakh Armenian military in the face of a growing military threat
from Azerbaijan. Accordingly, he criticized their handling of the
April 2016 heavy fighting with Azerbaijani forces.

Sahakian countered that Azerbaijani offensives launched at two
sections of the Karabakh "line of contact" last year failed to achieve
their main objectives. He also said that the Karabakh government is
now addressing "problems" exposed by the four-day hostilities and will
continue to strengthen Karabakh's armed forces.

Incidentally, Sahakian met with Armenia's Defense Minister Vigen
Sargsian in Stepanakert on Monday. His press office said that they
discussed "issues related to army building and cooperation between the
two Armenian states in this sphere."



Yerevan Market Bulldozed To Make Way For Luxury Properties
July 19, 2017

 . Sisak Gabrielian


Armenia -- The Table-top Sale in Firdousi street in downtown Yerevan
in beeing demolished. 19July, 2017

Authorities in Yerevan began demolishing an open-air market on
Wednesday as part of a planned redevelopment of a surrounding old
neighborhood in the city center strongly resisted by local residents
and traders.

The market located just a few hundred meters from Yerevan's central
Republic Square has functioned since the early 1990s. Hundreds of
people have sold cheap clothing and other consumer goods on the narrow
Firdousi Street that cuts through the neighborhood made up of mostly
old houses.

In 2007, the Armenian government allowed a private company to tear
down the entire area and construct expensive office and apartment
buildings there. The ensuing global financial crisis, which hit
Armenia's construction sector particularly hard, put those plans on
hold. And the company called Glendale Hills went bankrupt two years
ago.

Last year, the Yerevan Mayor's Office announced that another private
developer is now interested in the project and began preparations for
the demolitions, sparking street protests from the owners of several
dozen local houses. Market traders also joined the protests, saying
that the municipality is depriving them of their livelihood.

The municipality offered the traders commercial space in other markets
in Yerevan. Most of them rejected that offer, saying that they would
have to pay higher rent and earn less revenue.

Municipality officials and workers sent by the still unknown developer
met with fierce resistance from the traders on Wednesday morning when
they arrived at the Firdousi Street market to start the
demolitions. They overcame the resistance only after bringing in heavy
machinery.

The traders protested angrily as their market stalls and small
warehouses were bulldozed in the following hours. "Thank you for
leaving our children's parents without work," cried one woman.

The Firdousi Street houses have been spared demolition for the time
being. Their owners fear that the authorities are preparing the ground
for forcing them to sell their homes at a fraction of their market
value."They are getting to us step by step," one of them told RFE/RL's
Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).

Some locals also complained that representatives of the construction
company have still not visited them to discuss the amount of
compensations that could be paid to them. The municipality has not
even disclosed the company's name so far.

Later on Wednesday, Armenia's human rights ombudsman, Arman Tatoyan,
asked the municipality to suspend the demolitions until the traders
are relocated to other markets.



Opposition Gunmen's Trial Still In Turmoil
July 19, 2017

 . Naira Bulghadarian


Armenia - A chaotic scene at the trial of arrested radical opposition
members in Yerevan, 28Jun2017.

The trial of the key members of an armed opposition that seized a
police station in Yerevan last year remained effectively paralyzed on
Wednesday by continuing wrangling between the presiding judge and
defense lawyers.

Two of the lawyers, Arayik Papikian and Mushegh Shushanian, were
unable to attend the latest court hearing in the high-profile trial
after refusing to let court bailiffs check the content of their bags
on security grounds. They and their colleagues say that this amounts
to a search not allowed by Armenian law.

The judge, Artur Gabrielian, sanctioned Papikian and Shushanian and
said he will also ask Armenia's Chamber of Advocates to take
disciplinary action against them for what he considers contempt of
court. Three other attorneys walked out of the courtroom in protest,
leading Gabrielian to again cut short the proceedings.

The judge has regularly clashed with these and other lawyers for
similar reasons since the start of the trial in early June. He has
also barred most of the 14 defendants from the courtroom because of
their refusal stand up and thus show respect for the district
court. The lawyers claim that the authorities deliberately provoked
the turmoil to hold the trial in their and their clients' absence.

Papikian and Shushanian are already facing disciplinary proceedings
launched by the Chamber of Advocates at the request of law-enforcement
authorities. They stem, in part, from Shushanian's characterization of
the Armenian police as an "armed gang" ready to execute "any criminal
order."

Adding to the tensions was the alleged beating by police officers of
four of the arrested gunmen following a court hearing on June
28. Armenia's Special Investigative Service (SIS) pledged to
investigate the incident condemned by local and international human
rights group.

The opposition group seized the police base in Yerevan's Erebuni
district in June 2016. It demanded that President Serzh Sarkisian free
its jailed leader Zhirayr Sefilian and step down. The gunmen laid down
their arms following a two-week standoff with Armenian security forces
which left three police officers dead.



Russia Told To Scrap Ban On Armenian Driving Licenses
July 19, 2017

 . Lusine Musayelian


Russia -- A road police officer blocks off the traffic on the Moscow
Ring Automobile Road (MKAD) on the suburbs of Moscow, December 4, 2015

The executive body of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) has reportedly
told Russia to reverse its controversial decision to stop recognizing
the validity of driving licenses issued by Armenia, a member of the
Russian-led trade bloc.

A Russian law which took effect on June 1 banned foreign nationals
with driving licenses issued by their home countries from working as
drivers in Russia. The State Duma, the Russian lower house of
parliament, passed last week another law which waived the restriction
for citizens of those countries, including EEU members Kyrgyzstan and
Belarus, where the Russian language has an official legal status.

Armenia is not one of those countries, meaning that a large number of
its migrant workers driving trucks, taxis and other vehicles in Russia
now risk losing their jobs. Some of them are said to have already been
forced to return home.

The Armenian parliament speaker, Ara Babloyan, raised the matter with
his Russian counterpart, Vyacheslav Volodin, when they met in Moscow
on Monday. Volodin responded by suggesting that Armenia adopt Russian
as its second official language in order to circumvent the ban.

Volodin's remark caused outrage in Yerevan, with local opposition
politicians, media commentators and intellectuals accusing Moscow of
meddling in Armenia's internal affairs. Armen Ashotian, a senior
lawmaker who accompanied Babloyan on the trip to the Russian capital,
rushed to assure them that Armenian authorities have no intention to
change a constitutional provision stipulating that Armenia is the
country's sole official language.

The Moscow daily "Kommersant" reported afterwards that the Eurasian
Economic Commission, the EEU's executive body, has urged the Russian
government to ensure that the ban on foreign driving licenses does not
apply to any EEU member state, including Armenia. It quoted the head
of the commission, Oleg Pankratov, as saying that it runs counter to
EEU regulations on a common labor market set up by Russia, Armenia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.



Press Review
July 19, 2017


"Hraparak" reports on controversy sparked by Russian State Duma
speaker Vyacheslav Volodin's calls for Armenia's to give Russian the
status of a second official language in return for Moscow continuing
to recognize Armenian driver licenses. The paper quotes Viktor
Katvalian, director of the Language Institute of Armenian National
Academy of Sciences, as criticizing the suggestion. He says that an
ethnically homogenous country like Armenia does not need a second
official language. It is enough to continue teaching the Russian
language in Armenian schools, says Katvalian. He goes on to denounce
Volodin's proposal as an "inroad on our sovereignty, our language and
our statehood."

"Haykakan Zhamanak" reports, meanwhile, that the executive body of the
Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), has told Moscow to amend
the new Russian law stipulating that driver licenses issued by EEU
member states where Russian is not an official language are no longer
valid in Russia. Kyrgyzstan's Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Pankratov,
who also holds a senior position in the Eurasian Economic Commission,
reportedly said that the law runs counter to the EEU's labor
regulations mandatory for Russia and other member states.

According to Lragir.am, Vazgen Manukian, chairman of Armenia's
presidential Public Council, has added his voice to the criticism of
Volodin's statement. "English has spread and become an international
language," Manukian is quoted as saying. "In India, for example, it's
a second official language. But nobody has imposed that. Life has led
to that. It is very ridiculous when one country tries to impose its
language on another with artificial methods, using driver licenses as
an excuse. But although that [statement] was made by a high-ranking
official, it's hard to consider it Russia's official view."

Interviewed by "Hayots Ashkhar," Vazgen Safarian of Armenia's Union of
Domestic Manufacturers, comments on a sharp rise Armenia's imports
from Turkey recorded by the National Statistical Service in the first
five months of this year. "Officially, we have no trade with Turkey
but imports from Turkey are quite large: more than $200 million," says
Safarian. "Why? Because Turkish goods, especially agricultural
products, are cheap." He calls on the Armenian government to impose
additional customs duties on "those imported goods that are also
manufactured in Armenia."

(Tigran Avetisian)


Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2017 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org

                                        Wednesday, 

Russia's Ties With Armenia `Unhurt' By Arms Sales To Azerbaijan


 . Astghik Bedevian


Russia -- A "TOS-1 Buratino" multiple rocket launcher fires during the
"Russia Arms Expo 2013" 9th international exhibition of arms, military
equipment and ammunition, in the Urals city of Nizhny Tagil, September
25, 2013

A senior Armenian official on Wednesday criticized continuing Russian
arms sales to Azerbaijan but made clear that they will not undermine
Armenia's close military ties with Russia.

"Azerbaijan is not the kind of state that can be supplied with weapons
because weapons ought to be sold to those countries that aim to use
them for self-defense. I hope that everyone will agree with this over
time," said deputy parliament speaker Eduard Sharmazanov, who is also
the chief spokesman for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK).

"On the other hand, this must not impede the deepening of
Russian-Armenian strategic military-political relations," Sharmazanov
told reporters. "They must not be conditioned only by
Russian-Azerbaijani relations. Russian-Armenian relations are deeper
and stem from the interests of the two countries."

Russia has sold around $5 billion worth of tanks, artillery systems
and other weapons to Azerbaijan in line with defense contracts mostly
signed in 2009-2011. The arms supplies continued even after Armenian
leaders strongly criticized them following Azerbaijan's April 2016
offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, the
Russians shipped six heavy artillery systems to the Azerbaijani
military last year. Late last month, a Russian cargo ship delivered a
new batch of anti-tank missile systems to Baku's Caspian Sea port. And
earlier this week, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry announced that it has
received hundreds of Russian thermobaric rockets for TOS-1A
multiple-launch systems which it had purchased from Moscow earlier.

Russian President Vladimir Putin defended the lucrative arms deals
with Baku after holding talks with his Armenian counterpart Serzh
Sarkisian in Moscow last August. Putin implied that oil-rich
Azerbaijan could have bought offensive weapons from other nations. He
also argued that Russia has long been providing substantial military
aid to Armenia.

The Armenia army demonstrated new weapons recently acquired from
Russia during a September 2016 military parade in Yerevan. Those
included state-of-the-art Iskander ballistic missiles.

Russia has been Armenia's principal supplier of weapons and ammunition
owing to the military alliance between the two nations. Yerevan has
received Russian weapons at discounted prices or even for free.



Yerevan Hopes For Russian-Georgian Transport Deal


 . Sargis Harutyunyan


Georgia -- A warning sign is pictured behind a wire barricade erected
by Russian and South Ossetian troops along Georgia's de-facto border
with its breakaway region of South Ossetia in the village of
Khurvaleti, July 14, 2015

Transport Minister Vahan Martirosian expressed hope on Wednesday that
Russia and Georgia will agree after all to open new transport
corridors that would facilitate Armenia's foreign trade.

Senior Russian and Georgian diplomats have been discussing the
possibility of reviving a 2011 agreement meant to enable their
countries to maintain commercial ties in the absence of diplomatic
relations. They have specifically looked into modalities of reopening
two highways that used to connect Georgia to Russia via the breakaway
Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The two sides would hire a Swiss company to operate customs
checkpoints to be set up on the administrative boundaries of the two
territories controversially recognized by Russia as independent
states. The Moscow daily "Kommersant" reported this week that they
finalized such a deal at the latest round of negotiations held in
Prague. The Georgian government has not officially confirmed this yet.

Commenting on the report, Martirosian said: "That depends, first and
foremost, on Russian-Georgian relations. We hope that a solution will
be found in the near future."

The minister told reporters that the new Russian-Georgian corridors
would benefit Armenia by reducing transportation costs in its trade
with Russia, its number one trading partner, and other states.

Most of Russian-Armenian trade is currently carried out through the
sole Russian-Georgian border crossing at Upper Lars. Traffic along
that mountainous road is frequently blocked by blizzards in winter
months. Hence, Yerevan's strong interest in the launch of new trade
routes to Russia.

Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetian discussed the matter with his
Georgian counterpart Giorgi Kvirikashvili when he visited Tbilisi in
February. Karapetian said after their talks that "there will be an
alternative to the Lars road" but did not give details.



Karabakh Leader Faces Reelection Challenge From Opposition


 . Hovannes Movsisian


Nagorno-Karabakh - The parliament building in Stepanakert, 2Sep2016.

An opposition member of Nagorno-Karabakh's parliament announced on
Wednesday his candidacy for the post of the unrecognized republic's
next, interim president that will be elected by local lawmakers later
this month.

Eduard Aghabekian, a former mayor of Stepanakert, thus challenged
Karabakh President Bako Sahakian's controversial plans to extend his
rule by at least three years. Aghabekian accused Sahakian's
administration of failing to address economic and security challenges
facing the Armenian-populated territory.

In line with a new constitution enacted in a referendum in February,
Karabakh will switch to the presidential system of government which
will lead to the abolition of the post of prime minister. The
authorities in Stepanakert say the constitutional change will put
Karabakh in a better position to cope with the unresolved conflict
with Azerbaijan. Their opponents maintain, however, Sahakian is simply
keen to stay in power after he completes his second and what was
supposed to be final five-year term in September 2017.

The new constitution will fully come into force after the current
parliament dominated by Sahakian's supporters serves out its term in
2020.Karabakh will be governed by an interim president chosen by the
parliament until then.

Three pro-government parties holding the vast majority of parliament
seats have already decided to back Sahakian's reelection. The largest
of those parties, Free Fatherland, is led by Ara Harutiunian, the
Karabakh prime minister.

Another senior Free Fatherland figure, Artur Tovmasian, defended
Sahakian's track record, pointing to high rates of economic growth
recorded by the Karabakh authorities. He said Sahakian has pledged to
ensure that the local economy expands by around 10 percent annually
for the next three years.

"If there are candidates who think that a growth rate of up to 50
percent is possible in Karabakh then it's absurd," Tovmasian told
RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).

Aghabekian's Movement-88 party holds only three parliament seats,
compared with 28 seats controlled by Free Fatherand and the two other
pro-government groups: the Democratic Party of Artsakh and the
Karabakh branch of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(Dashnaktsutyun). Sahakian's challenger may also be backed by Hayk
Khanumian, the holder of another opposition party's sole parliament
seat.

"I personally have a positive attitude towards Aghabekian but believe
that he stands no chance of getting elected," Khanumian said on
Wednesday.

Aghabekian admitted that he is unlikely to unseat Sahakian. He said he
is primarily challenging the Karabakh leader in order to draw public
attention to Karabakh's lingering problems.



Press Review



"Aravot" claims that Azerbaijan seems to have failed to achieve
"political and propaganda results" with its "provocative" actions
taken on the Karabakh frontlines this month. "They have failed to
prove their legend about `bloody-thirsty Armenians,'" writes the
paper. One of the reasons for that, it says, is a glaring
contradiction between Baku's declared commitment to peace and regular
threats to win back not only Karabakh but also "historical Azerbaijani
lands" in Armenia proper. The paper also points to apparent problems
that have emerged in Azerbaijan's relationship with Russia. "Analysts
believe the reason for their differences is competition over gas, an
area where the interests of these two countries do not converge," it
says.

"Who will be Armenia's prime minister after 2018? This is the number
one issue on the Armenian political agenda at the moment," writes
"Hayots Ashkhar." The pro-presidential paper disapproves of the
opposition Yelk alliance's growing efforts to bring up this matter on
the parliament floor. It says that instead of discussing President
Serzh Sarkisian's political future, Yelk and other opposition forces
should seek to "impose their own agenda" on the country's rulers. "The
country is faced with unprecedented external and internal challenges,
and in this situation the opposition # is bothering with changes that
will occur within the ruling elite in 2018," it says.

"Haykakan Zhamanak" reacts to reports that Russia and Georgia have
finalized a deal to open transport corridors through South Ossetia and
Abkhazia. "This is an extremely important development for Armenia,"
comments the paper. "The thing is that the only road currently
connecting Armenia to Russia passes through the Upper Lars [mountain
pass,] which is causing our entrepreneurs considerable damage. If
Russia's and Georgia's representatives indeed reached a final and
irreversible agreement, then Armenia will get a very convenient,
reliable and short overland link to Russia."

(Tigran Avetisian)


Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2017 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org

Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
 Tuesday


Newly appointed Ambassador of Iceland presents credentials to
Armenia's President



YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. Newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of Iceland to Armenia Sigríður Bergling
Ásgeirsdottir(residence in Moscow) presented her credentials to
President Serzh Sargsyan on July 11, press service of the President’s
Office told Armenpress.

The Armenian President congratulated the Ambassador on her appointment
and wished her success on carrying out her diplomatic mission in
Armenia. The President said although the Armenian-Iceland inter-states
ties have started developing over the past 20 years since the
establishment of diplomatic relations, the potential of mutual
partnership of both countries have not been fully utilized during that
period and Armenia is ready to deepen inter-states ties with Iceland
expecting also the active work of the Ambassador on this issue.

Ambassador Sigríður Bergling Ásgeirsdottir assured that she will make
all efforts for strengthening the Armenian-Iceland bilateral ties. She
informed that she had already had several meetings and discussions in
Yerevan for that purpose and she believes that there is a potential to
successfully cooperate in commercial and humanitarian spheres, adding
that it’s necessary to carry out consistent work on this path. The
Ambassador considered prospective the development of mutual
partnership between the universities of Armenia and Iceland, the
exchange of experience in IT and tourism fields.

The sides agreed that Armenia and Iceland can develop mutually
beneficial partnership in energy, in particular, in renewable energy
field where Iceland has great experience and achievements.

President Sargsyan and Ambassador Sigríður Bergling Ásgeirsdottir also
discussed regional issues and challenges, the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement process within the OSCE Minsk Group.

Please find the attached press release of the Ministry of Diaspora.

Sincerely,
Media and PR Department
(+374 10) 585601, internal 805

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The Argus (Newsquest Regional Press)
July 4, 2017 Tuesday


Eubank Jr vows to KO Abraham and give judges an easy night



Chris Eubank Jr is adamant there will be nothing for the judges to do
when he faces Arthur Abraham in London this month.

Brighton fighter Eubank Jr says he will halt former two-weight world
champion Abraham and confirm his status as the rising star of the
super middleweight division on July 15.

Eubank defends his IBO World super middleweight crown against Abraham
at The SSE Arena, Wembley, on ITV Box Office.

Last weekend's victory for Jeff Horn over Manny Pacquiao has again
raised questions over boxing's judging system - but Eubank says his
clash with Abraham will not go to points as he is going to flatten the
Armenian-born German.

Eubank Jr said: "I think Arthur Abraham has a great chin as he has
shown on numerous occasions against some of the best fighters in the
world, but I'm going in there to knock him out and knock him out cold.

"I have the tools in both fists to stop Abraham and I will have the
crowd on the edge of their seats.

"I'm faster than Abraham, I hit harder and I have quicker feet. I can
dance around him, peppering shots from all angles and I'm going show
just how lightning fast my fists are.

"It's going to be a tremendous night for me to stop Arthur Abraham
because I'll be doing what so many other fighters have been incapable
of doing. It will be a boxing masterclass."

Abraham has only ever lost once inside the distance, when his clash
against Robert Stieglitz in 2013 was halted by the ring doctor at the
start of the fourth round as his eye was completely closed. Abraham
avenged that loss two years later by stopping Stieglitz.

Abraham's other four defeats were all on points and the German has
racked up 46 wins in a glittering career which has seen his crowned
world champion at both middleweight and super middleweight.

But Eubank Jr reckons Abraham's granite jaw will not be able to stand
up to his speed and accuracy.

Eubank said: "Speed kills in this game and I'm only getting faster and
hitting harder. I'm so confident of winning.

"I know I have the game plan and overall speed to finish Abraham off
early. The judges won't be needed in this one.

"I'm going absolutely all out to KO Abraham and show the rest of the
world just who is the best 12-stone fighter out there. Loads of
fighters have tried to stop Abraham and I'm going to show them how
it's done.

"The crowd on the night are in for a treat. I'm going to take it all
out on Abraham. He isn't going to know what has hit him.

"He won't see the shots coming and when he is lying flat on his back
he will realise just how good I am."

Also on the Poxon Sports card is Lee Selby's third defence of his IBF
World featherweight title against Jonathan Barros, Kid Galahad versus
Jose Cayetano, Robbie Davies Jnr versus Michal Syrowatka and Martin
Ward versus Anthony Cacace.

Registration for the fight is now open at itvboxoffice.com.