Author: Tambiyan Samvel

CHAIRMAN OF PARLIAMENTARY GROUP OF REPUBLICAN PARTY OF ARMENIA KAREN KARAPETYAN TO BE APPOINTED AS HEAD OF STAFF OF PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2008-07-03 17:50:00

The chairman of the parliamentary group of the Republican Party of
Armenia Karen Karapetyan will be appointed as the head of the staff
of the president of Armenia, a source from the Parliament of Armenia
has told ArmInfo’s correspondent.

After being elected into the Parliament from 17th electoral district
the incumbent head of the staff of the president Hovik Abrahamyan
will most probably be elected the speaker of the Parliament and
Karapetyan will replace him. The vice chairman of the Republican
Party of Armenia Galust Sahakyan will be elected the head of the RPA
parliamentary group.

Meanwhile, the speaker of the Parliament Tigran Torossyan says that
he is not going to resign.

ECOMLOGICAL ISSUES DISCUSSED AT RA GOVERNMENT

armradio.am
02.07.2008 14:14

Today RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan had a meeting with members
of the Ecological Public Alliance to discuss environmental issues,
particularly the issues of Armenia’s stable development, the urban
development and ecological situation in Yerevan, issues of Lake
Sevan, preservation of the biodiversity of Armenia, and questions
connected with protected areas and forests. Representatives of the
NGOs noted that all the above-mentioned issues should be considered
in the context of stable development and solutions should be found
within the framework of Armenia’s commitments of stable development.

Members of the Ecological Public Alliance thanked the Prime Minister
for paying consistent attention to ecological issues and discussing
those with NGOs and for the willingness to find joint solutions,
noting that up until now most of those urgent issues have emerged as
a result of ineffective authorities-NGOs cooperation.

The NGO representatives agreed that the numerous problems of the
sphere can be solved in case active work is done in the direction
of system changes, rule of law and reinforcement of the scientific
bases of governance.

SOCCER DRAW BRINGS TOGETHER ARMENIAN & CYPRIOT TEAMS

Gibrahayer
July 1, 2008
Nicosia

Cypriot champions Anorthosis – a refugee club from Turkish occupied
Famagusta – are Armenian Champion Pyunik’s first round opponents in
the qualifications of the Champions League.

The first round match will take place in mid July and the return in
Yerevan a week later.

Pyunik (formerly HMEM) were founded in 1992 and have won a record of
ten Championships, three Cup titles, and five Armenian Supercups.

Anorthosis were founded in 1911. Thy have 13 championship titles,
ten Cup titles and they have won the Super Cup trophy 6 times.

Anorthosis stunned the football community four years ago when they
ousted Turkish champions Trabzonspor (3-1, 0-1). In Nicosia today,
Anorthosis officials were secretly eyeing round two against Rapid
Vienna.

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSIAN CONFERS NEW RANKS ON PROSECUTORS

ARMENPRESS
July 1

On the occasion of the Day of Prosecutors on June 28 President Serzh
Sargsian decreed to award Aram Tamazian, deputy prosecutor general and
state justice councilor, the Mkhitar Gosh medal in recognition of his
heavy contribution to strengthening of legality and law-enforcement
system of the country.

The presidential press office told Armenpress that on the same day the
president decreed to confer the rank of Third Grade State Councilor
on deputy prosecutor general Armen Danielian.

T hird grade state justice councilor ranks were conferred also on David
Sargsian, chief prosecutor of Shirak province and first grade justice
councilor and Hovhannes Stepanian, head of the legal and European
integration department of the office of the prosecutor general.

RUSSIA IS NOT ONLY CO-CHAIR OF OSCE MINSK GROUP… :RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR

TREND Information
1.07.08 13:29
Azerbaijan

The Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh will be the
main topic of the talks between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and
Russia. The talks will be held within the framework of an official
visit of Dmitriy Medvedyev, the Russian President, to Azerbaijan on
3-4 July, Vasiliy Istratov, the Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan,
told journalists on 1 July.

"You know that Russia is not the only co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group
and works together with the United States and France," the Ambassador
said. He also noted that Russia was urged to play a constructive
role in the settlement of the conflict because of the historical
circumstances and takes its utmost for the conflict settlement.

During the meeting in Baku the heads of the Azerbaijani and Russian
Governments will hold detailed talks on the solution of the conflict.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful
negotiations.

G8 FOREIGN MINISTERS CALL ON TO SOLVE KARABAKH CONLICT

Panorama.am
16:57 28/06/2008

G8 Foreign Affairs Ministers in a session conducted in Kiotoy
(Japan) called on Armenia and Azerbaijan for peaceful regulation of
NKR conflict.

Foreign Ministers of UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Japan and
U.S. stated support to the OSCE Minsk Group intended for soonest
resolution of the conflict and called on the sides to "demonstrate
restraint and take serious steps" to achieve an agreement on Nagorno
Karabakh, reported ITAR-TASS.

MURAD SADADDINOV: "PACE MONITORING SYSTEM IS IN A STATE OF CRISIS TODAY.

Today.Az
June 30 2008
Azerbaijan

It is unable to ensure fulfillment of basic principles of the European
convention of human rights"

30 June 2008 [10:51] – Today.Az

Day.Az interview with Murad Sadaddinov, co-chairman of the Fund for
Protection of Democratic and Human Rights.

– Do you think the PACE resolution "On functioning of democratic
institutions in Azerbaijan" was balanced?

– First of all I would like to note that I attended the June session by
invitation of the PACE secretary general at the conference "Democracy
in Europe and problems of migration", where we discussed and presented
our recommendations on two reports, adopted in PACE on June 25.

In the framework of the conference I watched the debates while
discussing the report on functioning of democratic institutions
in Azerbaijan.

For several years we have not faced anything new in the PACE adopted
documents. We see here a certain format formed in such kind of
materials. As British Parliamentarian Mr. Hankock said during the
discussions, the name of the country can be changed to match other
countries as well.

In general, there are moments on which I agree and there are some
I can not agree. But the report is not the critical one. Today the
most important issue is that the countries, monitored by PACE, got
used to these documents and do not settle existing problems. PACE
monitoring system is in a state of crisis today. It is unable to
ensure fulfillment of basic principles of the European convention of
human rights in the CE member-states.

PACE mainly uses two opportunities to influence the countries. First
to persuade the government to adhere to certain recommendations by
way of a dialogue between rapporteurs and other high ranking persons
of PACE and second-by way of discussions of the country’s commitments
at a plenary session.

I consider that PACE needs urgent reforms in the monitoring system. It
is wrong to entrust the face and problems of a state to two deputies.

They are physically unable to do it and even so more they are replaced
from time to time. Unfortunately, there are some people, who aren’t
able to analyze and settle these problems due to their professional
capacities and experience. For this purpose, it is necessary to create
a permanent structure of PACE, which would study problems in the
countries subjected to monitoring, in a deep and consistent manner,
and work out serious recommendations and, even so more, the ways of
their implementation, as today the problem lies in the absence of
mechanisms for implementation of basic principles of the European
Convention of Human Rights on the whole area of the Council of Europe.

– Do you think the Azerbaijani government will take the resolution
seriously? Do the authorities intend to take PACE recommendations
into account?

– The Azerbaijani government has already worked out the system of
relations with PACE long before and I think it will adhere to those
point with are acceptable and everything will remain the same with
moot questions.

– The adopted resolution calls on the Azerbaijani leadership to free
the three reporters and five "political prisoners". Do you think the
authorities will undertake this step?

– The authorities will free these prisoners sooner or later, but
the adopted resolution will not be a key factor in this issue. The
working rapporteurs failed to create necessary trustful relations with
the country’s government and to persuade them to free the reporters,
as it was previously done by PACE rapporteurs George Clearfate and
Malk Bruce.

– Secretary of the CE Venice Commission Janni Bukikkio announced that
if presidential elections in Azerbaijan are not democratic, PACE may
apply sanctions towards Azerbaijan. Do you think these announcements
are real?

– Venice Commission is a consultative body, providing legal
recommendations to the CE member-states, considering the basic
principles of the Council of Europe and it is incorrect for the head
of this structure to make announcements on behalf of PACE.

What PACE will do by results of elections is a prerogative of the
parliamentary assembly and its authorized persons. Perhaps, it is
primarily necessary to consider the reaction at the recent elections
in Russia and Armenia. Armenian opposition is still in jail are there
are victims, but PACE gives time until January. In my opinion, the
arrested will spend their time in jail until at least the end of the
year and murders will escape justice. It is not a secret that PACE
is not able to cope with the task, set before it in this sphere.

– The PACE resolution fixes support to internationally recognized
borders of Azerbaijan and demands the immediate withdrawal of Armenian
troops from the occupied lands. How did Armenian delegation react to
such announcement?

– The reaction was unambiguous and representatives of the Armenian
delegation worked our and proposed several amendments to the final
document on exclusion of the aforementioned moments, which were not
supported among the majority of PACE delegates. They spoke referring
to the nation’s right for self-determination.

How many times can a nation self-determine, if there is a separate
state of Armenia. Will new states emerge in places where Armenians
reside? If we apply this principle to other peoples throughout the
world, we will have an absurd. On the basis of these principles,
we can attain recognition of several quarters or houses as states.

Or references to the so-called "return of the territories of Great
Armenia". If we imagine hypothetically the existence of such a state,
basing on this "logic" it is necessary to return the Balkan peninsula
to Turkey, Near East to Greece, Eurasia to Mongols (but before it, to
decide to whom it belongs more- to Mongols or Tatars). If seriously,
Armenians should take lessons from the situation, nationalists led
them to, disavow senseless territorial claims against its neighbors and
ponder over their future. It is evident that Armenia has self-isolated
from all perspective projects in our country. The country should live
for future not for past.

Otherwise, Armenia’s position in PACE and other international
organization will weaken day by day.

AZERI LEADERSHIP’S BELLICOSE STATEMENTS HAMPER PEACE PROCESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.06.2008 13:49 GMT+04:00

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met Friday with the
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Ambassadors Matt Bryza of the U.S.,
Bernard Fassier of France and Yuri Merzlyakov of Russia as well as
with Personal Representative of the OSCE CiO, Ambassador Andrzej
Kasprzyk to discuss the Karabakh settlement and present the position
of the Armenian side on the issue.

"Bellicose statements by the Azeri leadership hamper the negotiation
process and creation of atmosphere of trust between the conflicting
sides," the Minister said.

Once again stressing the necessity of a peaceful resolution of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the mediators briefed Minister Nalbandian
on the outcomes of their meetings with Azerbaijani President and
Foreign Minister. "We will continue our efforts to bring positions
of the sides closer, basing on the Madrid proposals handed to the
Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in November 2007," the
mediators said, the RA MFA press office reported.

HRANUSH HAKOBIAN APPOINTED CHAIRWOMAN OF STATE COMMITTEE OF DIASPORA RELATIONS

NOYAN TAPAN

Ju ne 27

By the June 27 decree of Serge Sargsian, the President of the
Republic of Armenia, Hranush Hakobian has been appointed Chairwoman
of the State Committee of Diaspora Relations under the RA Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. This information was provided to Noyan Tapan by
the RA President’s Press Office.

CHECKING COMMANDERS’ CLOCKS
Dmitry Yermolaev

DEFENSE and SECURITY
June 23, 2008 Monday
Russia

DEFENSE MINISTERS OF RUSSIA AND ARMENIA DISCUSSED SYNCHRONIZATION
OF REFORMS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE COUNTRIES; Defense Minister
of Armenia, Seiran Oganyan, arrived to Russia on a first working
visit. Oganyan negotiated with his Russian colleague Anatoly
Serdyukov. The ministers discussed problems of military technological
cooperation of the two countries and upcoming reforming of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Defense Minister of Armenia, Seiran Oganyan, arrived to Russia on a
first working visit. Oganyan negotiated with his Russian colleague
Anatoly Serdyukov. The ministers discussed problems of military
technological cooperation of the two countries and upcoming reforming
of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Armenia keeps living in extreme conditions determined by the
existence of the "frozen" Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and very difficult
geopolitical situation in which the country has found itself after
the breakup of the Soviet Union. The situation is aggravated by
the fact that many years of political and diplomatic efforts of
the international community for resolving of this conflict have
failed. That is why the stake of Yerevan at Russia and other countries
with which it has no problems in the context of regional interests
is natural. Cooperation of Armenia with NATO in the framework of the
individual partnership action plant (IPAP) looks equally natural. It
can be viewed as a certain hindering factor for prevention of
restarting of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Almost all
Armenian analysts agree that such hostilities are quite possible in
certain circumstances. That is why the maintenance of combat readiness
of the army is a priority for Armenia.

In Moscow, Oganyan discussed problems of synchronization of reforms
in the Armenian army with the reforms going on in the Armed Forces
of Russia to ensure their strategic compatibility.

There is a Russian military base on the territory of Armenia. It is
refilled with new models of Russian armament and organizes exercises
joint with the Armenian army. Baku disapproves this and suspects
Moscow of a "double standards" policy. At any rate, Armenia is the
only member state of the CFE that borders with NATO countries. Common
geostrategic space and common threats to national interests of the
two countries condition expediency of their concerted actions. That
is why Armenia has a special strategic importance for the military
political interests of Russia in the Caucasus. For Armenia Russia is
also a vital zone of its national interests.