Author: nina hovnanian

A NEW TYPE OF THREAT TO SECURITY OF ARMENIA

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 17 March 2015, 12:37

were given to Armenia for membership to the EEU were not effective,
and it is time to review those guarantees as to how effective they are.

Bobinski is not the first person who points out that security
guarantees are but lip service. Earlier those few experts and mass
media of Armenia had pointed this out who warned about the risks of
membership to the EEU, namely the void of the “argument” of security
which was the only “argument” of the government which surrendered
Armenia and the non-governmental pole that supported it.

The security of Armenia has not improved since September 3. Instead,
Azerbaijani sabotages at the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact
increased in frequency. Russia is increasingly openly encouraging
those sabotages. And if so far Russia sold weapons to Azerbaijan
and ignored its obligations towards Armenia by the agreement, now it
is announced through the CSTO Secretary General that CSTO will not
intervene in an Armenian-Azerbaijani war because that would violate the
principle of peace settlement. It turns out that CSTO is a “mediator”
of conflict settlement rather than a military-political alliance of
security for Armenia.

The result of such “pacifism” and “impartiality” is the growing
brazenness of Azerbaijan at the border, ignoring the visible warnings
of the West because it enjoys Russia’s support.

On the other hand, the question occurs whether Azerbaijan will not
behave even worse if Armenia revises the only “argument” for membership
to the EEU. In this context, the question occurs whether the EU is
ready to give Armenia the guarantee of security which it does not
get from the EEU. Bobinski says it is difficult to speak about this
at this stage because first a document needs to be signed based on
which financial assistance may be considered.

Bobinski shifts the issue to the sphere of financial assistance. Does
this mean that the West somehow resolved Armenia’s problem of the
so-called military security and the important thing now is the
financial and economic component of security. Especially in the
existing situation when Armenia is facing huge risks due to the
economic plight in Russia.

The security of Armenia is now vulnerable not only in military terms.

Moreover, in military terms, security is, perhaps, the most secure
by far thanks to several factors. First of all, it is the Armenian
armed forces and its defense capability. Over the past year the
Armenian army has demonstrated its readiness to deal with military
issues of security. Of course, it is also understood that the army
is not capable of dealing with them under the military-political
and economic conditions in Armenia and around it. In other words,
the army cannot resolve these problems forever if the political
and economic sovereignty of Armenia is consistently surrendered to
Russia which has set to the division of the Caucasus with the help
of the Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance at the expense of Armenia and
Armenian interests. And currently Russia’s core goal is to withdraw
the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact and Artsakh from the control
of the Armenian armed forces and deploy CSTO peacekeepers there.

The other factor of relative military security is the West and NATO.

It is not directly represented here but the West is using its military
and political potential to hold the Russian-Turkish-Azerbaijani troika
back from a large-scale military provocation.

The third factor is Iran which is also interested in maintaining the
regional status quo.

And the fourth factor is Azerbaijan and Turkey which currently agree
with Moscow on minor sabotages but cannot agree on the strategic
division of the Caucasian pie.

Thanks to these factors the military security of Armenia is relatively
more reliable, so far, than the financial and economic security. For
example, in August 2014 a semi-war at the line of contact for two
weeks did not harm Armenia as much as the financial shock in December
that lasted for less than a week. If this shock had lasted for say two
weeks, it is difficult to imagine what would have happened to Armenia.

Hence, it is urgent to undertake measures aimed at financial and
economic stability and security and create lasting mechanisms, ensure
diversification enabling Armenia to have a stable base of the general
security component and shift the security issue to a higher level
of defense.

At this new level Armenia will be able to boost the mechanisms
of comprehensive military security and modernization with the
Euro-Atlantic community.

AZERBAIDJAN : LA COMMUNAUTE INTERNATIONALE DEMANDE DE LIBERER LE RESPONSABLE DE L’OPPOSITION

Publie le : 17-03-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire ce communique de presse publie sur le site d’Amnesty
International le 13 mars 2015.

Legende : Ilgar Mammedov detenu par la police a Bakou le 4 Fevrier
2013.

Photo – RFE/RL

Amnesty International

13 mars 2015

Azerbaïdjan. Les autorites doivent liberer immediatement le responsable
de l’opposition

Le gouvernement d’Azerbaïdjan doit repondre favorablement aux demandes
de la communaute internationale et liberer immediatement le dirigeant
d’opposition de premier plan Ilgar Mammadov, en faveur duquel le Comite
des ministres du Conseil de l’Europe vient de lancer un deuxième
appel, a declare Amnesty International. Cet homme a ete condamne,
il y a plus d’un an, a sept ans de prison sur des accusations forgees
de toutes pièces et motivees par des considerations politiques.

Les autorites azerbaïdjanaises ont ignore plusieurs demandes du
Conseil de l’Europe appelant a sa liberation a la suite d’un arret
de la Cour europeenne des droits de l’homme, qui a conclu qu’Ilgar
Mammadov avait ete arrete sans preuve et que le veritable objectif
de son incarceration etait de le reduire au silence ou de le punir
pour avoir critique le gouvernement.

>, a declare Denis Krivosheev, directeur
adjoint du programme Europe et Asie centrale d’Amnesty International.

>

L’avocat d’Ilgar Mammadov a recemment declare a Amnesty International
que son client subissait une pression permanente des autorites
penitentiaires, qui veulent lui faire signer des > dans
lesquels il demanderait une grâce au president Ilham Aliyev afin d’etre
libere. Il refuse de le faire car cela reviendrait a admettre sa > L’avocat a ajoute que la sante d’Ilgar Mammadov se
degradait car il est detenu dans une cellule surpeuplee et enfumee,
avec 20 autres prisonniers.

Complement d’information

Ilgar Mammadov a ete arrete le 4 fevrier 2013 et inculpe d’incitation
a des violences de grande ampleur après s’etre rendu, pour temoigner
de la situation, sur les lieux d’emeutes qui avaient eclate la veille
dans le nord-ouest du pays.

Il a ete condamne a sept ans de prison par le tribunal de Sheki,
a Bakou, en mars 2014. En mai 2014, la Cour europeenne des droits de
l’homme a estime que son arrestation etait contraire a la Convention
europeenne des droits de l’homme. Cet arret a ete definitivement
confirme le 13 octobre 2014 lorsque la Cour de Strasbourg a rejete
le recours forme par le gouvernement azerbaïdjanais. Le 4 decembre
2014, le Comite des ministres du Conseil de l’Europe a exige qu’Ilgar
Mammadov soit libere >, mais sa demande est restee
lettre morte.

Ilgar Mammadov est l’un des 22 prisonniers d’opinion, au moins, qui
sont incarceres en Azerbaïdjan pour des raisons politiques et dont il
est question dans le dernier rapport d’Amnesty International intitule
Guilty of Defending Rights: Azerbaijan’s human rights defenders and
activists behind bars.

Lire aussi :

Dossier du Collectif VAN : L’Azerbaïdjan, une dictature nationaliste
et negationniste

Source/Lien : Amnesty International

ERDOGAN: A POWERFUL TURKEY WOULD HAVE PREVENTED KARABAKH CONFLICT IN 1990’S

10:57 * 17.03.15

If Turkey had been as powerful in the 1990’s as it is today,
we wouldn’t be facing the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh today,
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

Anadolu News Agency quotes the Turkish leader as reasserting the
country’s commitment to protect and take under responsibility not
only its own citizens but also old neighbors and partners.

Erdogan reportedly said that a powerful Turkish state would have
been able to do much more in the previous decades to rule out both
the Karabakh land dispute and the developments in the Middle East.

PAP LEADER’S FANTASTIC DECISION

Lragir.am
Country – 17 March 2015, 14:23

The new president of PAP Naira Zohrabyan announced yesterday that she
will not be answering questions on domestic issues for a month. She
said the reason is partisan and internal organizational works in
the party.

This decision of the PAP leader may serve as an important case for
the Armenian political field, and the mass media may be helpful. In
addition, this concerns not only Naira Zohrabyan but also everyone
else in Armenia who is doing “politics”.

They had better keep quiet and not answer any question, whether
domestic or generally political, and better if they do it not for a
month but once and for all. It would have been better for everyone,
including the public and the very “politicians”.

The public will rid of demagogy, false vows, vanity, complexes and
other things. It will rid us of “regime is in panic”, “regime’s days
are numbered”, “we are beside people”, “safe Armenia” and other forms
of cynicism. This is the only thing that “politicians” are good at.

Otherwise, over twenty decades of independence the country would not
have been criminalized to this extent, and the government would not
have been usurped by the criminal oligarchy.

The economy would not have appeared in the hands of several clans
who misappropriate the nation’s wealth and rule tax and customs
privileges for themselves, reaping the income and leaving losses on
the public’s shoulders.

In only twenty years the victory in Karabakh would not have been
wasted to the extent of territorial and other humiliating concessions.

The country would not have been given away with such zeal, in return
for Moscow’s mercy and delegation of power.

Silence could be highly helpful to the so-called politicians because
there is no politics in Armenia but usurpation and trade of government
under this name. It is especially urgent as the veil of the PAP was
ripped off the “political field”, revealing the field to the public
in its magnificent nudity.

Hence, silence is useful for “politicians”, especially that not keeping
quiet does not matter any longer. The government will decide who goes
to parliament and who takes to the street. They delegated this right
a long time ago.

The new PAP leader starts with a rough but very important initiative.

Apparently, even in its present situation, PAP remains the leader of
the Armenian “political field”.

RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE UNITS START EXERCISES IN ARMENIAN MOUNTAINS

March 17, 2015 15:32

Photo:

Yerevan/Mediamax/. The servicemen of the intelligence divisions of
the Russian 102nd Military Base have already started tactical and
special exercises at Pambak mountainous training complex.

Over 300 servicemen take part in the exercises. The exercises are
held in high-altitude regions at over 2 000 meters above sea level,
the press service of the base reported.

The best servicemen will represent the 102nd Military Base in
intelligence unit competitions, which will be held at the base of the
training complex aimed at the training of intelligence divisions in
the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania in April.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN RECEIVES EURONEST PA BUREAU MEMBERS

17:21, 17 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

President Serzh Sargsyan today received the members of the Euronest
Parliamentary Assembly (PA) Bureau who have arrived in Armenia to take
part in the fourth ordinary plenary session of the Euronest PA being
held in Yerevan from 16 to 18 March, President’s Press Office reported.

The President said that the Euronest ‘s Yerevan session provided a good
opportunity for uninhibited discussions and exchange of views, as well
as for expression of opinions on issues which were of great public
concern in partner countries. Noting that in 2012, Yerevan hosted a
successful session of the Euronest Subcommittee on Social Affairs,
Education, Culture and Civil Society, the Armenian President expressed
the hope that the current plenary session will also be successful,
and the ongoing discussions of agenda items being held in parliamentary
format and the subsequent resolutions will strengthen relations between
EU and partner countries. Serzh Sargsyan stressed that there are all
the grounds to hold constructive and effective discussion.

The members of the Euronest PA Bureau thanked President Serzh Sargsyan
for the reception and expressed satisfaction with the results of their
work carried out at the RA NA during the last two days, as well as
touched upon the items to be discussed thereafter.

At the meeting, the parties touched upon the cooperation between
Armenia and the European Union and the prospects for development
of their relations, as well as upon the Euronest’s unique place and
role in that matter. The interlocutors expressed the hope that the
parliamentary meetings in Yerevan will become a crucial stop on the
way to enhancing Armenia-EU relations.

At the request of the guests, Serzh Sargsyan reflected upon Armenia’s
foreign policy priorities, the factors underlying our country’s
decision to join the Eurasian Economic Union, Armenia-Turkey relations,
the concerted efforts made by Armenia and the OSCE Minks Group
co-chair countries aimed a peaceful settlement of the NK conflict,
the Armenian Genocide Centennial commemorative events to be held this
year in Armenia and abroad and their importance. Serzh Sargsyan also
answered the questions of Euronest PA Bureau members related to this,
as well as to other topics.

SERZH SARGSYAN DOESN’T APPROACH “NAIRIT” EMPLOYEES: PHOTOS

13:02 | March 17,2015 | Economy

Today in the morning “Nairit” plant employees hold a protest action on
the intersection of Demirchyan-Baghramyan streets by meeting Serzh
Sargsyan.

But Serzh Sargsyan didn’t approach the protesters, who were chanting
“repayment”.

“Nairit” plant employees stayed for a while near the Presidential
residence, then they marched to the Government building demanding
their 18-24 months’ unpaid salaries.

ZHOGHOVURD: HERMINE NAGHDALYAN HAD 347 MILLION 724 THOUSAND DRAMS IN 2014

11:44 17/03/2015 ” DAILY PRESS

Armenian National Assembly Deputy Speaker Hermine Naghdalyan had 347
million 724 thousand drams in 2014, according to her property and
income declaration. Her salary amounted to 6 million 280 thousand
drams. 189 million 444 thousand drams was indicated as profit share,
while 152 million drams was indicated as borrowing, Zhoghovurd reports.

Source: Panorama.am

ITALY’S MANTUA DISCUSSING DRAFT RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

13:26, 17.03.2015

The city council of Italy’s Mantua is discussing a draft resolution
on recognition of the Armenian Genocide that have been submitted by
SEL member Fausto Banzi, Gazzetta di Mantova reported.

“The city council of Mantua formally recognizes the genocide of the
Armenian nation and expresses solidarity on the occasion of the 100th
anniversary of the ‘great evil’,” the draft resolution says.

Fausto Banzi said he had accepted the call by the council of the
Armenian community in Rome to pass legal acts in solidarity with the
memory of the tragedy that occured back in 1915.

NORWEGIAN PM SOLBERG NOT ATTENDING ARMENIAN COMMEMORATIONS, CITING IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONS WITH TURKEY

Daily Sabah, Turkey
March 16 2015

NURBANU KIZIL
ISTANBUL

DIPLOMACY Finnish envoy: Turkey’s accession would enrich the EU
culturally, economically, politically

The Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg has announced that she will
not be attending the commemorations in Armenia organized for the
100th anniversary of the so-called Armenian Genocide, highlighting
that Norway puts value on relations with Turkey.

Solber stated that Norwegian executives, including herself and members
of the Foreign Ministry, will not be represented at the commemoration
ceremonies and only the ambassador will be able to participate.

According to a statement by the Foreign Ministry, it was highlighted
that the “Genocide allegations which were supposedly committed by
the Ottoman Empire in 1915 are internationally disputed” and that
the ministry would state their opinion on the matter later on.

Baard Glad Pedersen, the Undersecretary of the Norwegian Prime
Minister’s Office, said that conclusions regarding historical incidents
should be left for the discretion of historians, while noting that UN
resolutions outline what can be considered as genocide or not. “This
issue has been hotly debated in the recent years” Pedersen said.

Mertefe Bertinlioglu, a deputy from the Høyre – Norway’s Conservative
Party – in Oslo’s Provincial Legislature, stated that Prime Minister
Solberg’s decision must be respected, adding that Turkey has called
for the opening of archives numerous times to enable historians study
and analyze the issue, but noted that Armenia never accepted this. “I
also agree that this issue should only be handled by historians and
should not be exploited for political interests,” Bertinlioglu added.

The 1915 events took place during World War I when a group of
Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire supported a Russian invasion and
revolted against the empire, resulting in their relocation to eastern
Anatolia. Turkey refuses to use the term “genocide” to refer to the
incident, as many Turks also lost their lives due to attacks carried
out by Armenians in Anatolia. Meanwhile, Armenia and the Armenian
diaspora continue to campaign for the incidents to be recognized
as genocide.

In 2014, President Erdogan issued a letter expressing condolences
for the 1915 events, in an unprecedented move. Turkish officials
consistently urge for the establishment of a joint historical
commission to investigate the events and call on Armenia to open
their archives as Turkey has done.