CoE Commissioner: Karen Petrosyan's body must be returned
News.am, October 09, 2014, https://news.am/eng/news/
The body of a person who died in captivity must be returned to homeland, including the case of Karen Petrosyan, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks said in Yerevan.
Asked to comment on the fact that the Council of Europe did not voice any specific condemnation in connection with the fact of violence and torture against Armenians in Azerbaijani captivity, Muižnieks said that the European Convention on Human Rights should be applied.
In case of prisoners, there is Geneva Convention which prohibits inhuman and degrading treatment. In addition, noted Mujzhnieks, the International Committee of the Red Cross is engaged in issues of prisoners.
He called on both parties to work with this structure in order to find solutions to the mentioned problem.
General News on Armenia
Armenia attorney general and CoE official discuss March 1 tragedy case
News.am, October 09, 2014, https://news.am/eng/news/
Armenian Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan received a delegation led by Nils Muižnieks, the Council of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights.
The interlocutors discussed the examination of the case into the deadly riots that had occurred in Armenia’s capital city Yerevan on March 1, 2008, and the current legislative matters linked to minors’ and women’s rights in Armenia, informed the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
At the request of the CoE commissioner, Armenia’s attorney general spoke about the adoption of the country’s new Code of Criminal Procedure.
Kostanyan and Muižnieks also conferred on the matter of international experts’ participation in the investigation into the criminal cases that are opened in connection with the incidents that have occurred at several military units stationed on Armenia’s state borders, and the CoE Commissioner’s Office’s possible involvement in the examination of such incidents.
CIS Council is started in Minsk
Times.am, October 10, 2014, https://www.times.am/?p=96592&
On October 10 the CIS Council is kicked off in Belarusian capital Minsk. As it was expected, Ukrainian President hasn't arrived to Minsk and Ukraine is presented by Ukrainian Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Yezhev.
Economical, humanitarian and legal sphere issues will be on agenda of the Council.
Some documents are prepared for the meeting in order to intensify the cooperation between the member countries. After the CIS Council the Eurasian Economic Community meeting is scheduled.
Armenia’s trade indexes with EEU member states
Armenpress.am, October 10, 2014, https://armenpress.am/eng/news/
The general trade index of Armenia and member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) has reached 839 million 535 thousand 500 dollars in the 8 months of the running year, which makes the 23.1 % of the general volume of Armenia’s foreign trade, Armenpress reports.
Product of 646 million 670 thousand has been imported from EEU member state Russia from January to August, product of 184 million 775.8 thousand has been exported. Product of 17 million 67.5 thousand dollars has been imported from Belarus, and exported 5 million 529.4 thousand.
Armenia’s trade indexes with Kazakhstan in the 8 months of this year are the following: the import has reached nearly 352.8 million dollars and the export – more than 4 million 572.5 thousand Dollars.
Armenia will join the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan on January 1, 2015. The corresponding agreement was signed in Minsk on October 10 at a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.
ANCA Leaders Consult with Menendez, Royce on Crisis in Syria and Iraq
Asbarez.com, October 09, 2014, https://asbarez.com/127780/
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) recently held consultations with the chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee on a broad range of Armenian American policy priorities, including the welfare of Armenian communities amid a worsening ISIS crisis, an increasingly strained U.S.-Turkey relationship, and growing instability throughout the greater Middle East.
In separate meetings with Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Representative Ed Royce (R-CA), ANCA leaders discussed the threat posed by Turkey-backed ISIS aggression in Syria and Iraq, and the welfare of Armenian and other at-risk minority communities in the region, as part of the larger landscape of Armenian American concerns. In each meeting, key points included efforts to end White House complicity in Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide prior to the centennial of this crime, U.S. legislation seeking Turkey’s return of Christian churches, the security of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, and the further strengthening of U.S.-Armenia relations. These meetings are part of the ANCA’s ongoing engagement with policymakers in the White House, State Department, and Congress on the full range of Armenian American advocacy priorities.
Tsarukyan ready to run for president
Panorama.am, October 09, 2014, https://www.panorama.am/en/
Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan is prepared to run for president, the politician told reporters on Thursday. Tsarukyan said that he has 4-5 candidates for president, they are worthy people and are able to develop the country.
“If the public and my colleagues support the candidacy of one of them, I will back him as well,” the PAP leader said.
Mr Tsarukyan also said that he is ready if his colleagues and the public say that he should run for president. “And I can say that the most urgent problems will be resolved within several months,” he noted.
The politician added that he will participate in the opposition rally on October 10.
Government Still Mulling Response To University Brain Drain
Azatutyun.am, October 09, 2014, https://www.azatutyun.am/
The Armenian government has still not acted to stop scores of young specialists from leaving state-run universities and research institutes because of a controversial pension reform implemented by it.
The new system requires workers born after 1973 to earn most of their future pensions by contributing sums equivalent to 10 percent of their gross wages to private pension funds until their retirement. The reform, initially introduced in January, met with fierce resistance from many affected Armenians, most of them employed by private firms, and was effectively blocked by the Constitutional Court in April.
The government responded by making the reform mandatory only for 65,000 or so public sector employees. A government bill approved by parliament in June allowed people working for private entities not to be covered by the new retirement plan until July 2017.
Fight Against Tax Fraud ‘Vital For Government’
Azatutyun.am, October 09, 2014, https://www.azatutyun.am/
Reducing the informal sector of the Armenian economy is now the only realistic way of increasing tax revenue and thereby boosting government spending, Deputy Finance Minister Armen Alaverdian said on Thursday.
“We have approached a point where a further rise in tax revenue, parallel to the growth of GDP and other indicators, is possible only at the expense of curtailing the shadow economy. The shadow exists in all sectors to varying degrees,” he told a news briefing following a weekly session of Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian’s cabinet.
The remarks underscored the fact that economic growth in Armenia will fall short of short-term government forecasts. The government lowered its 2014 growth projection to 4 percent from 5 percent from July. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank said last week that the Armenian economy is on track to expand by only about 2.6 percent mainly because of the fallout from Western economic sanctions against Russia.
General News on Karabakh
Azerbaijan hands over Karen Petrosyan’s body to Armenia
Mediamax.am, October 10, 2014, https://www.mediamax.am/en/
With the mediation of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the body of Armenian citizen and resident of Chinari village of Tavush marz, 31-year-old Karen Petrosyan who had been killed in Azerbaijan was handed over to Armenia.
ICRC Yerevan Office spokeswoman Zara Amatuni told Mediamax correspondent about it.
Tomislav Nikolic: Serbia is perhaps the ideal OSCE Chairman-in-Office, which can help solve the NK problem
Mediamax.am, October 10, 2014, https://www.mediamax.am/en/
President of Serbia Tomislav Nikolic will visit Armenia on October 11. On the eve of the visit he gave an exclusive interview to Mediamax.
- Mr. President, you are going to visit Armenia on an official visit this week. Which are the key issues of the agenda of your visit?
- During my visit to Armenia I will try to find ways with my hosts to improve the cooperation between our two countries. When I say “to improve the cooperation” I mean the economic cooperation, because the relations between our two friendly peoples are traditionally excellent. However, when you have in mind the fact that in the first half of 2014, the trade between Serbia and Armenia reached a mere 10 million dollars, it is clear that it is not a praiseworthy result, and that there is plenty of scope for improvement of economic relations.
The number of agreements that have been signed by our countries is negligible and that is something we are very much concerned about and which makes us react. What interests us are concrete proposals and projects that can contribute to the improvement of living both in Serbia and in Armenia. This is going to be the main topic of discussions during my visit.
OSCE monitoring conducted at Line of Contact
Panorama.am, October 09, 2014, https://www.panorama.am/en/
On October 9, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, the OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan in the southeastern direction of Kuropatkino settlement of the NKR Martouni region, the press service of the NKR Foreign Ministry reported.
From the positions of the NKR Defense Army, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistants of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Khristo Khristov (Bulgaria) and Jiri Aberle (Czech Republic).
From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring was conducted by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk and his Field Assistant Yevgeny Sharov (Ukraine), as well as by staff member of the Office Peter Svedberg.
The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule. No violation of the ceasefire regime was registered.
News from International Sources
Round up of CIS summit
Vestnikkavkaza.net, October 10, 2014, https://vestnikkavkaza.net/
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a CIS summit in Minsk that the Commonwealth had more potential for regional and international cooperation. He noted that Azerbaijan valued the CIS and had good developments in the economic sector. Aliyev expressed concerns about regional security, the situation in the Middle East and the European part.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said that the CIS was playing an important role maintaining stability in the world in the context of tensions in other regions. He added that cooperation within the framework of the CIS should focus on peace and stability, settlement and prevention of conflicts according to principles of the UN Charter.
Military cooperation and collaboration of law enforcers and border guards in fighting drug trafficking is an important priority pointed out by Sargsyan.
News on Turkey
Today is the 5th anniversary of Armenian-Turkish Protocols
Mediamax.am, October 09, 2014, https://www.mediamax.am/en/
Today is the 5th anniversary of Armenian-Turkish Protocols.
Upon the initiative of the Armenian President, a new phase of Armenian-Turkish relations started in 2008 and as a result, Armenian and Turkish Foreign Ministers Edward Nalbandian and Ahmet Davutoglu signed the “Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey” and “Protocol on Development of Relations between of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey” in Zurich, on October 10, 2009.
After the protocols were signed, Turkey changed its position and rejected to implement the agreement on the normalization of relations within a “reasonable timeframe” and without any preconditions, linking the ratification of the Protocols in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Death toll from violent Kobani protests rises to 31
Todayszaman.com, October 10, 2014, https://www.todayszaman.com/latest-news_death-toll-from-violent-kobani-protests-rises-to-31_361187.html
A total of 31 people have been killed and hundreds of others have been injured in the course of violent protests across Turkey triggered by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) attacks on the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani, according to Interior Minister Efkan Ala.
Speaking at a news conference in Ankara, Ala said 351 people -- including 139 members of the security forces -- have been wounded and 1,024 others have been detained in connection with protests, which erupted in 35 provinces across Turkey.
Most of the 31 killings took place in clashes between rival groups, according to Ala.
Turkish PM accuses CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu of treason over statements on Kobane protests
Harriyetdailynews.com, October 10, 2014, https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-pm-accuses-chp-leader-kilicdaroglu-of-treason-over-statements-on-kobane-protests.aspx?pageID=238&nID=72793&NewsCatID=338
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has accused Turkey's main opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu of "treason" over his statements on recent protests, calling on him to “keep silent.”
“What he is doing is very irresponsible. It is treason because he is making these comments at a critical time. We don’t need the ideas of Kılıçdaroğlu. [He should] just keep silent,” said Davutoğlu after a hospital visit to Bingöl Police Chief Atalay Ürker, who was wounded during protests in the southeastern province of Bingöl.
The prime minister slammed Kılıçdaroğlu for making “conflicting” statements, saying the Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader is calling for calm on one hand while also accusing the government over the protests on the other.
He also criticized the CHP head for accusing the government of supporting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) without having any evidence for it.
Armenian Genocide Immortalized in Canadian Museum of Human Rights
Asbarez.com, October 09, 2014, https://asbarez.com/127776/
Shahen Mirakian, member of the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC), was one of the Armenians present at the formal opening ceremonies of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In addition to Mirakian, Ambassador Armen Yeganian also attended the CMHR’s opening.
The ANCC has been closely collaborating with the CMHR for over 10 years to ensure that the Armenian Genocide is properly represented in the museum alongside the other four genocides officially recognized by the Canadian government (the Holocaust, the Holodomor, Rwanda, and Srebrenica).
Canadian-Armenian weekly newspaper Horizon sat down with Mirakian and asked him about his impressions of the CMHR and its Armenian content.
Turkey should face its history, Alevi author says
Armradio.am, October 09, 2014, https://www.armradio.am/en/
The Armenian edition of Erdal Sahin’s book titled “Transformation of the hangman of 1915” has been published. The book was originally written in German and was later translated into Turkish.
The author, an Alevi, comes from Dersim. However, having lived in Germany, from early childhood he felt the derogation the Germans demonstrated against minorities. After he grew up, he understood it was the same Armenians felt under the Ottoman Empire.
The author of the book is confident that everyone should face its own history and this first of all refers to Turkey. “They also have to write their book of apology. Turkey has nothing else to say except for facing the history and accepting the genocide,” he said.
Note that the book tells about the Armenian Genocide. The author says he’s also guilty of this dark page of the Armenian history.