Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

Malaysia Sun, Malaysia
March 22 2008

State of emergency over in Armenia

Malaysia Sun
Friday 21st March, 2008

Armenia has ended the state of emergency introduced after protests
against the result of the presidential election.

At the beginning of the month, riot police used heavy-handed tactics
to disperse demonstrators. The opposition accused the government of
electoral fraud, after the former Prime Minister Serzh Sarkasian won
an absolute majority.

Outgoing President Robert Kocharian says there is no need for the
state of emergency to remain in place.

A ban on demonstrations, however, will stay in force.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL KILLED IN MOSCOW REGION

Interfax News Agency
March 21 2008
Russia

Moscow, 21 March: An Armenian national with a knife injury to the neck
was found in Pushkinskiy District, Moscow Region, on Thursday morning
[20 March].

The 43-year-old Armenian was found in Vokzalnaya Ulitsa [street] in
the village of Zavety Ilycha, a source in the regional law-enforcement
agencies has told Interfax.

"The man died from a stab injury when medical assistance was being
given to him," the source said, adding that criminal proceedings had
been instituted over the incident and a search operation was under way.

MINISTER OSKANIAN MET WITH EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE PETER SEMNEBY

armradio.am
21.03.2008 14:40

On March 21 RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian received the delegation
headed by the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter
Semneby.

The interlocutors turned to the internal political situation in
Armenia after the presidential elections and the post-election
developments. The possible steps directed at the restoration of
concord among the society were discussed.

Minister Oskanian and Mr. Semneby discussed the voting on the
resolution on Nagorno Karabakh at the UN General Assembly and its
consequences.

The parties underlined that maintenance of stability in Armenia is
the guarantee of the country’s development and the continuousness of
regional programs.

Reference was made also to regional issues, the Armenian-Turkish
relations and their perspectives.

ARMENIA TO LIFT STATE OF EMERGENCY ON 21 MARCH – PRESIDENT

Mediamax
March 20 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 20 March: The state of emergency will be lifted in Yerevan
on 21 March, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said today.

Addressing a news conference in Yerevan today, the president of
Armenia said that he did not see any reasons for extending the state
of emergency.

"The imposition of the state of emergency on 1 March allowed us to
avoid new human casualties and heavier consequences for the country,"
Robert Kocharyan said, adding that no violations were registered during
the 20-day state of emergency. The president recalled that over the
last 20 days, he signed two decrees easing the state of emergency.

"Now my main objective is to fully stabilize the situation in terms
of controllability and return to the situation that existed prior to
the election in Armenia. There is no doubt that more time is required
to overcome the psychological consequences," Kocharyan added.

The Armenian president said that the preliminary results of the
investigations show that the mass unrest in Yerevan on 1-2 March was
well-organized and that "there is no doubt" about this.

Robert Kocharyan said that the cases of 40-50 arrested people would
soon be sent to court and examined as soon as possible.

ROBERT KOCHARYAN: IF MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT COMPACT IS SUSPENDED, WE WILL SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE IT

arminfo
2008-03-20 15:48:00

ArmInfo. If the Millennium Challenge Account Compact is suspended,
we will seek opportunities to continue its implementation, President
of Armenia Robert Kocharyan said at a press conference, Thursday.

The president said he received a letter from Millennium Challenge
Corporation Director John Danilovich wherein he warned of possible
suspension of the US assistance under the program. ‘We would not like
the program to be suspended but if the USA makes such a decision,
Armenia will implement the envisaged anyway on the funds of other
organizations, particularly, Lincy Foundation, all Armenian Charitable
Union, Hayastan Foundation, and other donors. The USA has not made
a final decision so far’, Kocharyan said.

"CONTINUATION OF TALKS FOR SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT POSSIBLE ON THE NORMS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW", K. IBRAHIM

AzerTag
March 19 2008
Azerbaijan

Khazar Ibrahim, Press-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Wednesday said voting by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs against the
UN General Assembly’s draft resolution, "The situation in the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan", was incomprehensible and incorrect action.

Speaking about the Co-chairs’ unfair position towards the issue,
K. Ibrahim noted "supporting the resolution the international
community once again demonstrated their stance on the settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the framework of the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan".

"Armenia and those who support it, have to understand that continuation
of negotiations regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is possible
on the norms of international law", said K. Ibrahim.

He stressed though official Baku made known its position regarding
the conflict, the co-chairs would continue their mediation mission
on the principles of the Helsinki Final Act.

As to the Armenian Foreign Minister’s statement regarding the
resolution’s negative influence on negotiation process, the Ministry’s
spokesman said the negotiations carrying out with Armenia were
Azerbaijan’s great compromise to this country.

He said Armenia had to take constructive measure instead of making
groundless statements.

AZERBAIJAN AGGRESSIVELY "FLIRTS" WITH EVERYONE

KarabakhOpen
19-03-2008 16:50:19

The settlement of Karabakh has reached a point when the possibility
to maneuver is zero. The parties, both Armenian and Azerbaijani,
have come closer to the "moment of truth" and must distinctly outline
their stance.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group voted against the UN resolution
which recommends withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the area
of the Karabakh conflict, return of the Azerbaijani refugees and
deployment of peacekeepers.

The resolution does not convey anything about the future status
of Karabakh.

At the same time, Azerbaijan does not reject the talks mediated by
the OSCE, during which, according to the Armenian side, the status
of NKR is discussed. Evidence to this are the statements by the OSCE
co-chairs, namely the United States that Washington recognizes the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan but the status of Nagorno-Karabakh
must be determined through peace talks.

In his recent statement the U.S. co-chair Matthew Bryza spelled out
what the governments of both countries are trying to veil. A complex of
proposals is on the agenda which can be discussed and which must lead
to the return of territories of Azerbaijan, return of refugees. It
includes the corridor connecting Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia,
the presence of international peacekeeping force. In other words,
all these points will underlie the peace agreement which will foster
prosperity in the region, Matthew Bryza said.

The situation is that of a stalemate. Azerbaijan, flirting with the
West, participates in the talks as a result of which the secession
of Karabakh and its relation to Armenia must get international
recognition. At the same time, the Baku authorities are flirting
with their own public, reassuring them that the secession of Karabakh
is impossible. They also aggressively "flirt" with Karabakh, trying
to show that neither the international law, nor the pressure of the
international community and "moral" political principles are primary
for them.

Perhaps it is time that Baku made a decision and maybe stopped
participating in the talks.

Besides, the Armenian government should spell out distinctly what
awaits Armenia in case of success or failure of the talks. What
situation will occur if Azerbaijan, nevertheless, accepts the
independence of Karabakh?

What will happen if the talks lasting for a decade crush? And isn’t
freezing the best way out of the situation?

EASILY REFUTED

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
March 19, 2008

Political analyst Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan said, all the nine points
of the resolution "About the Situation in the Occupied Territories
of Azerbaijan" submitted by Azerbaijan to the 62nd session of the UN
General Assembly are easily refuted.

Besides that, OSCE Minsk Group co-Chair countries: the United
States, France and Russia, which are also the permanent members of
the UN Security Council voted against the resolution and the other
permanent members of the Security Council: Great Britain and China
abstained. "The resolution contains provisions on the internationally
recognized Azerbaijani borders. It’s worth mentioning that the UN
has never recognized Azerbaijani borders, moreover when Azerbaijan
became member of the UN, NKR was not in Azerbaijan and UN was not
going to recognize the borders of Soviet Azerbaijan," L. Melik
Shahnazaryan said.

NA VOTES TO AMEND RA LAW ON ON CONDUCTING MEETINGS, RALLIES, MARCHES AND DEMONSTRATIONS

armradio.am
18.03.2008 12:37

RA National Assembly convened a special sitting yesterday upon the
initiative of the Deputies. The agenda included two issues: making
amendments and addenda to the RA Law on Conducting Meetings, Rallies,
Marches and Demonstrations (first reading) and making amendments
and addenda to the RA Law on Conducting Meetings, Rallies, Marches
and Demonstrations (second reading). The draft was authored by more
than 60 Deputies representing four parliamentary factions, except for
"Heritage." The initiative of amending the law in force is associated
with the necessity to improve the ill-defined legal norms after the
events of March 1, MP Rafik Petrosyan explained.

When working out the draft law, the Deputies were guided by Articles
11 and 18 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms, which envisage certain restrictions. Eth experience of
European countries has also been taken into consideration. The
draft is targeted at preventing the infringement of other citizens’
rights when carrying out one’s constitutional right. It is noted,
in particular, that public mass arrangements can be banned by an
authorized body, if there are credible data that there are directed
at breaking the constitutional order, inflaming racist or religious
hatred, propagating war or violence, r can lead to the disturbance
of state security, public order, the society’s health and morals,
violation of others’ constitutional rights and freedoms.

The draft was adopted with 90 pro and 6 cons.

THE OFFICER OF ARMED FORCES OF RA WAS AWARDED FOR COURAGE

p;p=0&id=383&y=2008&m=03&d=18
15.0 3.08

On March 15,2008 RA Defense Minister Michael Harutyunyan visited the
military hospital of RA Armed Forces in Yerevan to find out about the
health condition of Senior Lieutenant Armen Hakhanyan wounded during
the attack of the divisions of the Azeri Armed Forces on one of the
NKR positions the night of March 4. The Defense Minister awarded Armen
Hakhanyan with a Drasdamat Kanayan order and a Tissot Swiss watch.

Michael Harutyunyan told reporters that Senior Lieutenant Armen
Hakheyan and the Deputy Commander of Platoon were wounded from the
Armenian side on March 4.

Armen Hakhanyan was at the front line. He managed to show resistance
to the Azerbaijani forces with his soldiers, as a result of which he
was wounded.

He was immediately taken to hospital and received necessary medical
aid. His condition is not grave, he receives necessary treatment.