Category: 2017

                                        Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Sarkisian Denies Rift With Armenian PM
June 6, 2017

Armenia - President Serzh Sarkisian (L) and Prime Minister Karen
Karapetian at an awards ceremony at the presidential palace in
Yerevan, 28Jan2017.

President Serzh Sarkisian dismissed on Tuesday media claims that Prime
Minister Karen Karapetian is increasingly at odds with him and will
step down soon.

A number of Armenian media outlets and commentators have speculated in
recent weeks that Sarkisian plans to become prime minister or replace
Karapetian by someone else after serving out his final term in April
2018. Some of them have claimed that the premier will resign or be
sacked before that time because of his worsening relationship with the
president.

The Yerevan daily "Zhoghovurd" reported on Tuesday that Karapetian has
already twice tendered his resignation and that Sarkisian has refused
to accept it. Citing unnamed sources, it said that Karapetian will not
remain in office much longer.

"The prime minister has no reason to resign," Sarkisian said in rare
comments to Armenian reporters made later in the day. "Periodical
reports about alleged differences or a confrontation are untrue."

"We understand very well, both at the party and the government levels,
who the authors of those fabrications are and what they want. But I
think that that cannot have any impact on the situation," he added,
according to the Armenpress news agency.


Armenia - President Serzh Sarkisian and Prime Minister Karen
Karapetian arrive at an election campaign rally in Yerevan, 31Mar2017.

Sarkisian appointed Karapetian as prime minister in September last
year with the stated aim of improving the socioeconomic situation in
Armenia through more radical reforms. The 53-year-old premier, who is
a former business executive, has since repeatedly pledged to create a
level playing field for all businesses, combat corruption and tax
evasion, and attract large-scale investments in the Armenian economy.

Karapetian has also indicated his desire to retain his post after the
end of Sarkisian's decade-long tenure, which will be followed by
Armenia's transition to the parliamentary system of government. He
told reporters on May 9 that he does not "see" preparations by
Sarkisian to take his place at the helm of the government.

The president himself has not publicly ruled out such a
possibility. In a March 25 speech in Nagorno-Karabakh, he said vaguely
that he would like to "play a role, in some capacity, in ensuring the
security of our people" after April 2018.

A spokesman for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) declined
to clarify last week whether Karapetian, who is also the HHK's first
deputy chairman, will stay on as prime minister next year.



Ohanian Vows Continued Fight For Regime Change
June 6, 2017

 . Sargis Harutyunyan


Armenia - Former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian attends an election
campaign rally in Yerevan, 11Mar2017.

Former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian made clear on Tuesday that he
will not quit politics despite his opposition alliance's poor showing
in Armenia's recent parliamentary elections.

"False media reports that I left Armenia, got a job abroad [in Russia]
and so on are untrue and unacceptable," Ohanian told RFE/RL's Armenian
service (Azatutyun.am) in an interview. "I have served my homeland for
38 years, I have spent my entire life here, and I will carry on with
my service for the homeland."

"I will present the methods, forms and principles [of doing that] to
the public after deciding on them," he said.

"Everyone is in politics today," Ohanian went on. "Today no capable
and intelligent force thinking about Armenia's future, security and
development can stay away from processes taking place in Armenia and
around Armenia."

A retired army general, Ohanian was sacked in October last year after
working as defense minister in President Serzh Sarkisian's
administration for more than eight years. He began criticizing the
Armenian government shortly afterwards. In January, he teamed up with
opposition parties led by former Foreign Ministers Vartan Oskanian and
Raffi Hovannisian to run in the April 2 parliamentary elections.


Armenia -- Former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian (2nd R) speaks with
local residents during an Ohanian-Raffi-Oskanian alliance campaign
meeting in Gyumri, March 21, 2017
According to the Central of Election Commission (CEC), their ORO
alliance polled only 2 percent of the vote, falling well short of a 7
percent threshold for having seats in Armenia's new parliament. The
bloc rejected the official vote results as fraudulent but refrained
from staging post-election street protests. Its leaders have kept a
low profile since then.

Ohanian insisted that the new National Assembly controlled by
Sarkisian's Republican Party (HHK) "does not reflect the will of the
people." Opposition groups not represented in the legislature must
therefore strive to "make our people's voice heard" by the
authorities, he said.

"In that regard, I do not exclude developments outside the parliament
that could lead to a force majeure situation," Ohanian said, alluding
to the possibility of future anti-government protests. "I believe that
the people must make their voice heard by the authorities," he added.



More Armenian Judges Prosecuted For Corruption
June 6, 2017

 . Naira Bulghadarian


Armenia -- The main entrance to the Office of the Prosecutor-General
in Yerevan, 15Dec2009

Two more Armenian judges as well as one prosecutor have been accused
of accepting thousands of dollars in bribes in return for making
illegal decisions on two court cases in the country's Gegharkunik
province.

It also emerged on Tuesday that law-enforcement authorities have
arrested six other local residents who allegedly arranged or paid the
kickbacks to the chairman of the Gegharkunik court of general
jurisdiction, Aghvan Petrosian, one of its judges, Vanik Vartanian,
and a regional prosecutor, Sevak Shoyan.

Petrosian and Shoyan have been taken into custody. Armenia's Justice
Council was expected to give the green light to Vartanian's arrest
later in the day.

A statement by the Office of the Prosecutor-General claimed that
Petrosian was paid $23,000 to hand a suspended prison sentence to a
young man prosecuted for his role in a violent assault that occurred
in Vartenis, a small regional town, in 2014. Armenia's Court of
Appeals subsequently struck down the lenient sentence and sent it back
to the Gegharkunik court.

According to the statement, the Vartenis man was detained and went on
trial even though Shoyan, the local prosecutor, received a $4,000
bribe from the suspect's parents.

The statement added that the two judges were also paid around $2,500
in exchange for an "illegal verdict" in a property dispute involving
other Gegharkunik residents. The ruling was handed down by Vartanian,
it said.

Two other Armenian judges are being prosecuted on similar charges. One
of them, Ishkhan Barseghian, was allegedly caught red-handed in
October while being paid $1,000 by a citizen. Armenia's National
Security Service (NSS) circulated video purportedly showing him
receiving the sum at an underground pass in Yerevan. Barseghian, who
served in a district court in Yerevan for 20 years, pleaded not guilty
when he went on trial in April.

Another judge was charged with taking a $600 bribe last month. He
worked in the lower court of the Ararat and Vayots Dzor provinces.

Despite having undergone frequent structural changes over the past two
decades, Armenia's judicial system is still regarded by many people as
corrupt and highly dependent on the government. Armenia's former human
rights ombudsman, Karen Andreasian, highlighted the problem in a 2013
report that accused judges of routinely taking bribes.

The report based on confidential interviews with lawyers, judges and
prosecutors singled out the Court of Cassation, the highest body of
criminal justice in the country. Both the court and an Armenian
government body monitoring the judiciary denied the allegations.

Yervand Varosian, a well-known defense attorney, insisted on Tuesday
that bribery among Armenian judges remains widespread. "Few people in
the judicial system are not corrupt," Varosian told RFE/RL's Armenian
service (Azatutyun.am). Only sweeping personnel changes in the
judiciary can eradicate the illegal practice, he said.



Opposition Bloc Offers Guarded Support For New Anti-Graft Body
June 6, 2017

 . Sisak Gabrielian


Armenia - Lena Nazarian, a senior member of the opposition Yelk
alliance, speaks to RFE/RL in Yerevan, 6Jun2017.

A senior member of the opposition Yelk alliance on Tuesday welcomed
the Armenian government's plans to set up a new body tasked with
tackling corruption in the country.

Under a bill approved by Prime Minister Karen Karapetian's cabinet on
Thursday, the body is to prevent and detect corrupt practices among
Armenian officials. It will be created on the basis of the existing
State Commission for the Ethics of High-Ranking Officials. The
commission receives income and asset declarations from Armenia's 600
most high-ranking state officials, including ministers and judges.

The new body would not only scrutinize those financial disclosures but
also investigate possible conflicts of interest or unethical
behavior. It would be empowered to ask law-enforcement bodies to
prosecute officials suspected by it of engaging in corrupt practices
or even submitting false declarations.

Under the bill, which the Armenian parliament will start debating on
Wednesday, the anti-corruption body will consist of five members
appointed by the National Assembly for six-year terms. Their
candidacies would be submitted by a special council comprising not
only government officials but also civil society representatives.

Lena Nazarian, a parliament deputy from Yelk, said she on the whole
supports the government initiative and is ready to vote for it despite
having some misgivings. In particular, she said, state officials
should be required to disclose not only their incomes but also
expenditures.

"I think that any bill that gives the opposition and the civil society
an instrument to oversee submission of [income] declarations is
positive," Nazarian told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).

Some civic activists are far more skeptical about the new
agency. Daniel Ioannisian of the Union of Informed Citizens predicted
that it will not stop corrupt officials from falsely attributing their
wealth to their friends or relatives. He also argued that the body
will not be allowed to conduct criminal investigations.

Former Justice Minister Arpine Hovannisian, who is the main author of
the bill, insisted late last week that the anti-graft body will have
sufficient powers to prevent many instances of corruption.

The bill was also welcomed by Piotr Switalski, the head of the
European Union Delegation in Yerevan. Switalski described it as a
"step forward."

Armenia ranked, together with Bolivia and Vietnam, 113th out of 176
countries evaluated in Transparency International's most recent
Corruption Perceptions Index released in January.



Press Review
June 6, 2017

"Zhoghovurd" quotes Nagorno-Karabakh's prime minister, Arayik
Harutiunian, as saying that international mediators' peace proposals
praised by Armenia are unacceptable to the authorities in
Stepanakert. The paper notes that the Karabakh Armenian leadership has
long made clear its opposition to the so-called lands-for-status
formula favored by the U.S., Russian and French co-chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group. "It will be interesting to see how this dilemma will be
solved if Karabakh continues to reject the variant under discussion,"
it says. It also wonders why President Serzh Sarkisian has not
convinced the Karabakh Armenians to drop their objections to what he
has publicly described as a reasonable compromise.

Konstantin Zatulin, a Russian pundit and former parliamentarian, tells
"168 Zham" that Moscow does not want to see any decline in its role
and presence in the South Caucasus. "Unfortunately, the existing facts
are that Azerbaijan sharply increased arms purchases from Russia and
it may well be that the military balance [in the Karabakh conflict]
was somewhat disrupted because of that," he says. "[Recent] Russian
arms supplies to Armenia indirectly testify to that fact. If we sold
weapons only to Azerbaijan and did not give or sell weapons to
Armenia, we would undermine the balance. The challenge is to maintain
it." Russia is "using" that balance in its policy towards the Karabakh
dispute, adds Zatulin.

"Zhamanak" says that opposition forces that failed to win seats in
Armenia's new parliament "seem to be recovering from their
post-election shock." "They have started to speak up little by
little," writes the paper. "Not all of them, of course. The former ORO
alliance -- and one of its leaders, Raffi Hovannisian, in particular
-- is more active right now, even if Seyran Ohanian (another ORO
leader) also does not miss opportunities to address the public."

"Aravot" complains that pro-government and opposition politicians go
out of their way to stress what they think must be done in Armenia but
will not specify how. "They must put an end to meaningless air
fluctuations," the paper says.

(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

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
June 5, 2017 Monday


Mnatsakanyan: Armenian community should always be ready to war

Yerevan June 5

Marianna Mkrtchyan. As long as Nagorno-Karabakh war is not finished,
the nation always should be ready to war. This was stated by Artsakh
Defense Minister, General-Lieutenant Levon Mnatsakanyan during the
conversation with the journalists.

"We still lead the war, it is not finished. We should be ready for it
every day, regardless of whether we talk about it or not. The nation
always should be ready, until this war is ready completely", the
defense department head said.

Talking about the situation at the troops' contact line, Mnatsakanyan
said that today it can be estimated as a stable strained, without
tendencies to develop. "Compared to recent months, tension decrease
has been registered, in particular, shooting from the weapons of
various calibers reduced, although the situation is periodically
escalated. But if we compare the situation with the April events, then
the tension decreased for several times, the subversive actions taken
by the adversary ceased. The previous attempt of sabotage penetration
was registered in February this year, "NKR Defense department head
said.

At the same time, General-Lieutenant stressed that Armenian said tries
to respond to Azerbaijani armed forces to discourage them from hunt
for new attempts, that is the damage done to them, was substantially
greater than they could cause themselves. "Of course, Azerbaijan will
always strive to maintain tension on the front line, will also seek to
inflict damage on us, and we, in turn, will give an adequate response,
and if necessary, when necessary, we will give the final blow",
Mnatsakanyan said.

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
June 5, 2017 Monday


Babayan on Limonov`s visit: we stand for as many people as possible to
visit our country

Yerevan June 5

Marianna Mkrtchyan. "We stand for as many people as possible to visit
Nagorno Karabakh", NKR press secretary head David Babayan said talking
to ArmInfo's reporter, commenting the visit of Russian writer and
politician Eduard Limonov in Artsakh.

"This is a private visit. Everyone can visit our country, we are a
democratic state and are ready to welcome guests. I think there is
nothing bad about it", Babayan said.

Answering the question whether Limonov's visit can become an example
for other politicians and stimulate tourists flow to Nagorno Karabakh,
Artsakh press secretary said that the time will show. "We do not put
political issues in front of us. This is Baku ownership, it is Baku
that is worried all the time, nervous, make protests. And we only
stand for people to come to our country, personally get acquainted
with the atmosphere that is here", Babayan said.

To note,Russian writer and politician Eduard Limonov, these days is on
a visit to Nagorno-Karabakh. Talking about the purpose of the visit,
Limonov said that the story is very simple - it is an expression of
his anti-Turkish attitude. "I consider Russia's policy towards Turkey
wrong. I wrote a lot of relevant articles about which no one asked me.
Various people drew attention to them, they contacted me and invited
me to Armenia. I never trusted the Turks. The whole history of Russia
makes us to doubt them, and I have no other position. This is my first
visit to Karabakh, but I've previously visited various self-proclaimed
republics, including the Republic of Serbian Krajina (destroyed by
Croatia with the help of NATO in 1995). "

Speaking about how he can contribute to the Karabakh issue, since he
is a well-known and authoritative person, Eduard Limonov said that
they know little about Karabakh in Russia and have a distorted opinion
about the issue. "I will try to write at least a few articles on this
topic, and then we'll see - maybe something more. Honestly, I do not
undertake such a heavy duty - to promote something. I can express my
opinion in the newspaper ", - Limonov concluded.

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
June 5, 2017 Monday


Tonoyan and Puchkov discussed deepening and expansion of
Armenian-Russian relations

Yerevan June 5

Mariana Mkrtchyan. The deepening and expansion of Armenian-Russian
relations, the problems on preventing and neutralizing crises and
emergency situations were discussed on June 5 in Moscow by the
Ministers of Emergency of Armenia and Russia David Tonoyan and
Vladimir Puchkov.

The parties stated that one of the achievements in the interaction of
the two countries' agencies was the establishment of an
Armenian-Russian humanitarian response center in Armenia, the only one
of its kind in the region and which, in case of a major disaster, can
provide regional assistance.

The department notes that now the second phase of the center's
equipping is being implemented, which involves equipping the center
with modern technical means for rescuers.

The parties agreed to approve the action plan of the center for
2017-2018, which will ensure the development of the center and
uninterrupted operation. The interlocutors also noted with
satisfaction that the cooperation between the Ministry of Emergency
Situations of Armenia and Russia is multi-vector.

Armenpress News Agency, Armenia
June 5, 2017 Monday


Int'l community must adequately respond to Tbilisi-based reporter's
kidnapping by Azerbaijan, says Armenian lawmaker



YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani kidnapping of
Tbilisi-based opposition reporter Afghan Mukhtarli to Baku received
worldwide attention, Armen Ashotyan, chairman of the Armenian
parliament’s foreign relations committee said on Facebook.

“This issue is also relevant in terms of guaranteeing the fundamental
freedoms and rights on citizens of Armenia and Artsakh and foreigners
who are blacklisted by Azerbaijan. The strict response of the US State
Department and the EU External Action Service once again emphasized
the vivid and apparent reality of violation of fundamental human
rights in Azerbaijan”, Ashotyan said.

He emphasized that the full investigation into this incident is not
only the internal affair of Georgia, but also an imperative of
adequately responding to another gauntlet thrown by Azerbaijan to the
international community.

Afghan Mukhtarli is a known critic of the Azerbaijani authorities’
policies. Since 2015, he was forced to settle in Tbilisi. He
disappeared two days ago, and later appeared in Baku and was jailed.

He said that he was kidnapped from downtown Tbilisi by unknown people
wearing civilian clothing, who were speaking Georgian. He was forced
into a car and taken out of Georgia, heavily battered, blindfolded and
taken to another vehicle. He was then forced to a third vehicle,
already on the Azerbaijani border, where he heard the kidnappers talk
in Azerbaijani. The kidnappers framed him by putting a large amount of
cash in his pocket, and now he is charged with smuggling and illegal
border crossing. His attorney has already met him, and said that his
client has bruises on his face.

Afghan told his attorney that he has severe pain in the chest area,
presumably fractured ribs.

A Baku court has remanded Mukhtarli in custody for three months.

Rezonansi, Georgia
June 2 2017




 In five months, 40 practice alerts near the Georgian border and on
occupied territories. What is Russia getting ready for?


 by Tiko Osmanova

[Armenian News note: the below is translated from Georgian]


A demonstration of force or preparation for combat activities - to
check combat readiness, Russia has issued about 40 practice alerts in
the Southern Military District over the past five months. What might
these activities by our northern neighbour imply? Pundits have come up
with several versions about this issue. However, at this stage, they
believe there is no likelihood of a military conflict erupting.

Alert sounded near Georgian border

Yesterday [1 June], the latest alert of the kind was sounded near the
Georgian border and in [Russian-] occupied [Georgia's breakaway]
Tskhinvali [region]. According to the Russian mass media, on the order
of Southern Military District Commander Gen Col Aleksandr Dvornikov,
one part of the district's military detachments was brought to full
readiness to check their combat readiness.

At 4 o'clock in the morning, the alert was sounded in the military
units mobilised in Chechnya, Dagestan, Krasnodar Territory and
Tskhinvali region, as well. A total of 6,500 military men and 1,500
pieces of military hardware participated in the military inspection.

What might these activities by our northern neighbor imply? Pundits
have come up with several versions regarding this issue. However, at
this stage, they estimate there is no likelihood of a military
conflict erupting.

Russia's demonstration of force

According to expert in military issues Mamuka Areshidze, the northern
neighbour's activeness in this direction is merely a demonstration of
force. The more active Nato initiatives become in the South Caucasus,
including Georgia, the more Russia is trying to show its military
potential.

"This does not imply anything but a demonstration of force, as the
geopolitical situation unfolding [in the region] does not suggest any
reason for Russia's possible aggression. I see no need for Russia to
begin combat activities anywhere, except Syria, of course.

All military formations of the Southern Military District, which are
located in the all the regions of the North Caucasus, including
Krasnodar and Stavropol territories and [Georgia's breakaway] Abkhazia
and South Ossetia [Tskhinvali region], are actively engaged in the
inspection.

"The more active Nato initiatives are in the South Caucasus, including
Georgia, the more Russia is trying to show its military potential,"
Areshidze told Rezonansi.

He also said that the only region in the Caucasus where there is high
likelihood that a military conflict will erupt is [Azerbaijan's
breakaway Nagornyy] Karabakh.

"Combat operations are already under way in Syria, which Russia is
actively engaged in, similar to Turkey and the United States. For all
major players, the range of activities is quite limited there. If any
of them disrupts the balance, the danger of a third world war will
arise. This does not play into the hands of any of the sides.

"At present, the only danger posed is the renewal of the Karabakh
conflict. This is more or less likely.

Georgia's, Azerbaijan's international standing "different"

"Georgia's and Azerbaijan's standing in the international arena is
different. Relations between Georgia and Nato have not gone beyond
declarations notwithstanding the fact that the Nato Parliamentary
Assembly was held here and messages of rapprochement were sent.
However, this does not imply Georgia isjoining Nato. Neither does this
imply that the situation regarding this issue will change in the near
future. Russia has already become used to this, and does not see any
particular danger in it.

"Regarding Azerbaijan, official Baku has joined an extremely important
international coalition, which is being formed around Saudi Arabia and
is also called the Arab Nato. This fact is a serious message for
Russia. This is an anti-Iranian coalition, which implies the
redistribution of forces in the Middle East region.

"If Azerbaijan displays new military aggression in the context of the
Karabakh conflict, it is not ruled out that Russia will not react the
same way as it did last summer. There is not a high likelihood, but it
still is [possible]," Areshidze said.

Several reasons for demonstrating force

According to Tbilisi University Professor Korneli Kakachia, Russia's
demonstration of force is related to several factors.

"Given the reforms recently implemented in the defence and security
spheres of Russia, this activeness should not be surprising. Russia's
defence policy has become more aggressive. Apart from this, Russia is
engaged in conflicts with its neighbours and this demonstration of
force should not be surprising. This is also aimed at checking the
effectiveness of the amount of money spent on these reforms.

"No-one is able to precisely say where Russia is going to use this
force in practice. However, it is a fact that this is mainly targeted
at post-Soviet countries. The thing is that Russian authorities still
consider them as the sphere of their influence, including our region
and Karabakh.

"Russia voiced the desire to have a military presence in Karabakh.
Armenia and Azerbaijan are certainly opposed to this. However, it is
not ruled out that [Russia] will take steps in this direction.

"Apart from Karabakh, [Russia] might use force in Ukraine. However,
what matters most is that all this might be meant for domestic
consumption. In 2018, Russia is holding a [parliamentary] election.
Therefore, the authorities need to somehow show society how strong
Russia is and how [successfully] it is regaining its special [place]
in world politics," Kakachia told Rezonansi.

news.am, Armenia
June 3 2017


Artsakh holds shooting drills

[Armenian News note: the below is translated from Armenian]

Shooting drills were held in one of the military units of Artsakh army
on 29 May-5 June,.

The drills focused on lessons learned from the April 2016 fighting,
the website quoted Artsakh's defence ministry as saying.

On 2 June, Artsakh Defence Minister Levon Mnatsakanyan observed a
shooting exercise aimed at checking combat readiness and the unit's
ability to destroy the enemy armed groups. Artillery units practised
shooting at the enemy's firing positions, as well as defending,
attacking and restoring frontline positions.

Armoured troops also performed manoeuvres to disrupt the enemy and
prevent further advancement. The servicemen were awarded certificates,
badges and gifts at the end of the drills.