Armenia Counts On Greek Support For Closer Ties With EU
Azatutyun.am, September 30, 2014, https://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/26614117.html
Armenia hopes that Greece will help it deepen relations with the European Union, President Serzh Sarkisian said on Tuesday after talks with his visiting Greek counterpart, Karolos Papoulias, on Tuesday.
“We reaffirmed our desire to further deepen cooperation between our countries on multilateral planes, including within the framework of the Armenia-EU partnership,” he said in a statement to the press. “I voiced Armenia’s determination to develop our relations with the EU in all possible directions and expressed hope that friendly Greece will support Armenia on this issue.”
Sarkisian did not specify whether Yerevan expects Greek support for his government’s efforts to sign a new accord with the EU in place of an Association Agreement that was negotiated shortly before he unexpectedly decided to make Armenia part of the Russian-led Customs Union last year. The EU, of which Greece is a member, responded to that move by abandoning the agreement.
The Armenian government has since been trying to sign a less far-reaching deal with the EU. Sarkisian said in April that Armenia should not be “forced to pay a price” for his foreign policy U-turn.
EU-Armenia Relations
Latvia may become effective bridge in Armenia-EU dialogue
News.am, September 30, 2014, https://news.am/eng/news/231638.html
Latvia may become an effective bridge for continuation of political dialogue between Armenia and EU, Vice Speaker of Armenian parliament Eduard Sharmazanov said.
On Tuesday the Vice Speaker received Latvia's Ambassador to Armenia Elita Gavele and political director at Latvian Foreign Ministry Juris Poikans. The meeting was also attended by the Honorary Consul of Latvia in Armenia Armen Gasaboghlyan.
Eduard Sharmazanov, who is also head of the Armenia-Latvia parliamentary group of friendship, stressed that Armenia attaches importance to cooperation with Latvia, both bilaterally and in the framework of the Eastern Partnership project.
Armenia, UK sign military cooperation plan
Aysor.am, September 30, 2014, https://www.aysor.am/en/news/2014/09/30/arm-britain-mil/
The first Armenian-British military-political discussions with the participation of officials of the Ministries of Defense of Armenia and the UK took place in Yerevan on September 29-30, Armenian Defense Ministry said.
The sides discussed Issues related to the development of Armenian-British military cooperation and the introduction of new initiatives.
The discussion results were summarized on September 30 at a meeting attended by First Deputy Defense Minister of Armenia David Tonoyan and British Ambassador to Armenia Katherine Leach.
The Armenian-British military cooperation plan for 2015-2016 was signed.
General News on Armenia
World Press Freedom Index: Armenia ranked higher than neighbors
Armenianow.com, October 01, 2014, https://www.armenianow.com/news/57241/armenia_freedom_speech_index
Armenia is leader in the region according to the latest World Press Freedom Index released by the Reporters Without Borders organization.
According to the report, Armenia occupies 78th place among 180 reviewed nations, which is higher than its neighbors Georgia (84th), Turkey (154th) Azerbaijan (160th) and Iran (173rd).
The report, in particular, mentions that Armenia, among other countries, enjoys “a significant degree of pluralism and relatively little state censorship.”
Armenia’s affiliation to EEU not to affect Armenia-IMF relations negatively: Mark Horton
Armenpress.am, September 30, 2014, https://armenpress.am/eng/news/778372/armenia%E2%80%99s-affiliation-to-eeu-not-to-affect-armenia-imf-relations-negatively-mark-horton.html
International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts rapid change of work with Armenia after affiliation to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), International Monetary Fund Mission Chief to Armenia Mark Horton told journalists, Armenpress reports. “It is important to maintain our friendly relations with Armenia like in the recent 20 years,” he said.
According to Mark Horton, after Armenia’s affiliation to EEU some financial flows to Armenian economy are expected, particularly, Armenia is expected to get 1% or more of the general volume of the customs revenues of the EEP member countries.
“If all the conditions remain unchangeable and all remain equal, it will mean that Armenia will receive much larger sum of money than it gets presently by custom duties. It is important for the Armenian to have distinct plans on the ways of spending that money,” he underlined.
The speaker said that after the affiliation there will be developments within the limits of predictability. Risks will rise connected with geopolitical developments, Ukrainian crisis, economic sanctions imposed against Russia, but they will not necessarily bring to deterioration of the situation.
Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh united economic organism – risks and benefits of Eurasian integration
Tert.am, October 01, 2014, https://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/10/01/eurasia-tevan-khosrov/
With Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) being in progress, Tert.am has sought comments from politicians over possible advantages and disadvantages of the deal.
Tevan Poghosyan, an opposition lawmaker from the Heritage party, said he cannot now predict any outcomes and risks despite being familiar with the treaty.
“I do not believe that the project will be realized; those are hypothetical issues that were outlined in the document. The whole problem is that the steps have to be put in action to make the situation favorable for Armenia,” he said.
Poghosyan considered problematic the earlier concerns about the absence of a border checkpoint between Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. “I know now how they will work. They are simply clauses outlined in a document, but I have no idea as to what the practical experience will show,” he said, expressing his skepticism about a positive outcome.
The opposition MP said he thinks that the question about the possible advantages and disadvantages would be a good food for thought for businessmen. “Our conclusions now can be based only on the technical assumption that in case Armenia hypothetically joins the EEU, the four [member] countries’ markets will generate such and such income, and such and such part of it will go to Armenia's budget. But what about working with a country which is facing sanctions? So that’s a question too,” he added.
OSCE representative says journalists’ rights in Armenia must be ensured
News.am, October 01, 2014, https://news.am/eng/news/
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic today called on the Armenian authorities to bring to justice those responsible for attacks on journalists and to end the climate of impunity following another case of the obstruction of a journalist’s work in Yerevan.
According to reports on 19 September Taguhi Hovhannisyan, a journalist with the Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper, had her recorder grabbed by the Head of the Armenian diaspora in Kazakhstan after she approached him with a question at a public event in Yerevan, OSCE said in a statement.
The public official then ordered his bodyguards to remove the journalist from the premises. When Hovhannisyan tried to use her phone to take a photo, the bodyguards seized her phone and erased the records.
Parliament Majority Blocks Changes In Controversial Tax Law
Azatutyun.am, September 30, 2014, https://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/26613967.html
The pro-government majority in Armenia’s parliament rejected on Tuesday an opposition bill that would delay the enforcement of controversial new taxation rules which have sparked angry street protests by small traders.
The National Assembly failed to make a quorum at an extraordinary session forced by the opposition but boycotted by its deputies representing the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). The boycott meant that the assembly could not even debate amendments to an Armenian tax law that were put forward by the four main opposition parties represented in the parliament.
Esabelle Dingizian Elected Vice-Speaker of Swedish Parliament
Asbarez.com, September 30, 2014, https://asbarez.com/127442/esabelle-dingizian-elected-vice-speaker-of-swedish-parliament/
Esabelle Dingizian, a Swedish-Armenian Green Party politician, has been elected third Vice-Speaker of the Swedish Riksdag, according to Riksdag’s official website.
The Riksdag elected Urban Ahlin (Social Democratic Party) as the new Speaker on 29 September for the electoral period of 2014 to 2018.
Tobias Billström (Moderate Party) was elected as First Deputy Speaker, Björn Söder (Sweden Democrats) as Second Deputy Speaker, and Esabelle Dingizian (Green Party) as Third Deputy Speaker.
Esabelle Dingizian has been a member of the Riksdag since 2006. She has been member of the Committee on Cultural Affairs and deputy member in a number of committees including the Committee on the Labor Market and the Committee on Education. Esabelle Dingizian is member of parliament for the Stockholm County Council constituency.
General News on Karabakh
François Rochebloine: Settlement impossible without Karabakh’s participation
Armradio.am, Spetember 30, 2014, https://www.armradio.am/en/2014/09/30/francois-rochebloine-settlement-impossible-without-karabakhs-participation/
Negotiations cannot be effective without the participation of Nagorno Karabakh, Member of the French National Assembly, Chairman of the France-Artsakh Friendship Circle François Rochebloine declared in Stepanakert.
“The ongoing negotiations cannot reach results without the participation of representatives of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The participation was ensured during the signing of the ceasefire agreement and was envisaged in documents signed after that. We must repeatedly speak about the issue, as many people seem to have forgotten abiut this,” Rochebloine said.
Taking into consideration the recent changes on international arena, namely the Scottish referendum, which means greater role ascribed to the right of peoples to self-determination, the French MP said: “The people of Artsakh did it in 1991, when independence was proclaimed.”
OSCE Mission doesn't find out ceasefire violations
Mediamax.am, September 30, 2014, https://www.mediamax.am/en/news/karabakh/11757/
OSCE Mission held a regular monitoring on the contact line of Armed Forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan in Askeran direction.
The monitoring was held in accord with the schedule. The Mission didn't register any ceasefire violations.
From the Azerbaijani side of the contact line, the monitoring was conducted by Personal Representative of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk and his field assistant Evgeny Sharov.
Ken Hachikian: Karabakh independence high on ANCA agenda
RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, September 29, 2014, https://www.azatutyun.am/media/video/26611232.html
In an exclusive interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, Ken Hachikian, the chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), said that Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence based on self-determination is very high on the agenda of the organization.
News from International Sources
Genocide Conference in Romania Held Despite Protests
The California Courier, October 01, 2014, https://nebula.wsimg.com/dc73754b720ade530a023fa3368c1842?AccessKeyId=CAEA6237ACF321EDB6BB&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
I just returned home from two hectic weeks of travel. First, I participated in the Armenia-Diaspora Conference in Yerevan, where I co-chaired a panel on the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, and spoke in two other panels proposing the formation of a democratically elected Diaspora-wide structure to represent the seven million Armenians residing outside of Armenia and Artsakh.
I then flew to Bucharest, Romania, to join scholars, activists, journalists and clergy from a dozen countries in the first-ever international Armenian Genocide conference.
The always vigilant Turkish Ambassador to Romania went to great lengths to undermine not only the Armenian Genocide conference, organized by the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Romania, but also the inauguration of a Khachkar or Cross Stone dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide.
Turkish Ambassador’s efforts failed miserably as the Khachkar was inaugurated as scheduled on Sept. 26, and both the Vice Mayor of Pitesht and Governor of Arjesh attended the ceremony along with other Romanian dignitaries and Genocide conference participants. In fact, when the Ambassador objected to the inauguration of the Khachkar, the Mayor of Pitesht sharply rebuked him by telling him that he has no right to interfere in the internal decisions of a Romanian city!
News on Turkey
Gulenist Police Chiefs Allegedly Threatened Inspectors in Dink Case
Dailysabah.com, September 30, 2014, https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2014/09/30/gulenist-police-chiefs-allegedly-threatened-inspectors-in-dink-case
Members of the the Prime Ministry Inspection Board said that they have been threatened by Gülen Movementlinked police officers Ali Fuat Yılmazer and Ramazan Akyürek during their investigations into the murder of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink who was killed in 2007. The officers had allegedly demanded inspectors to dismiss the case, Türkiye daily reported on Monday. The new probe strengthened the suspicion of a Gülenist cover-up in the Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink's murder.
Prosecutors found crucial evidence showing that government officials had been blackmailed and threatened in order to convince them to dismiss the case. The Chief Prosecutor's Office for Istanbul started the interrogation process where, in this context, prosecutors appealed to the testimony of members of the Prime Ministry Inspection Board who said that they had been threatened by Gülen Movement- linked officers Ali Fuat Yılmazer and Ramazan Akyürek during their investigations regarding the Dink murder.
Journalists denounce murder plot against columnists
Todayszaman.com, September 30, 2014, https://www.todayszaman.com/national_journalists-denounce-murder-plot-against-columnists_360282.html
An anonymous letter delivered to a news portal has warned that two columnists who are critical of the government, namely Murat Belge of the Taraf daily and Aydın Engin of the Cumhuriyet daily, face risk of assassination, the Taraf daily has reported, as both journalist associations and journalists have denounced the reported assassination plot.
Some journalists have accused the government's eminent figures and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of inciting hatred and hostility within the society due to the hateful rhetoric used by some government figures. Still others have highlighted extremist groups which act on the basis of hate against Turkey's minorities, especially Armenians, that were revealed after an Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was assassinated outside the office of his Agos newspaper in broad daylight on Jan. 17, 2007 for his opinion that Turkey should recognize the Armenian genocide claims.
Armenians commemorate the relocation -- during the First World War in 1915 under the Ottoman Empire rule -- and they describe it as genocide.
Speaking to Today's Zaman, Turkish-Armenian journalist and Taraf columnist Hayko Bağdat also reacted harshly to the incident, saying: "Such threats and intimidation are not something new for intellectuals. Many intellectuals and journalists were threatened in the process when Dink was murdered. At that time, I and many people warned that the Dink murder was a threat to the entire society, not only Armenians. Those state officials who allegedly had a role in the murder were not punished at all. On the contrary, they were promoted. The deep illegal structures nested in the country are permanently encouraged. These illegal structures then find a reason to surface when the country's atmosphere is chaotic. The 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide is approaching [in 2015]. These cells might be active before the anniversary."
Aznavour says hopes to reconcile Armenians and Turks “before dying”
Armradio.am, September 30, 2014, https://www.armradio.am/en/2014/09/30/aznavour-says-hopes-to-reconcile-armenians-and-turks-before-dying/
Charles Aznavour has voiced indignation over the Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide and has appealed to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Turkish President has been invited to Armenia to April 24, 2015, the anniversary of the massacres of Armenians in 1915. “He has not yet responded. But if he goes, I’ll go with him,” the singer said in an interview with RTS.
Charles Aznavour says he hopes for a reconciliation between Armenians and Turks “before dying.”
He complained vehemently of the Turks, who deny the suffering of the Armenian people. “You have to hate the deniers,” he said.
Turkish National Agency pledges to keep Erasmus program
Hariyetdailynews.com, October 01, 2014, https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-national-agency-pledges-to-keep-erasmus-program.aspx?pageID=238&nID=72379&NewsCatID=510
The Turkish National Agency has pledged to continue the Erasmus exchange student program, which has recently been the subject of public debate in Turkey.
“Our country, as it did before, will keep benefiting from Erasmus, which prepares young people for the future and assists them in having a voice in the international arena” a written statement issued by the agency read on Sept. 29.
For the last 10 years, Erasmus has made significant contributions to Turkish students’ academic and professional progress, read the statement, adding that the program had also helped in overcoming the European Union’s prejudices, given publicity to Turkey and had enhance cultural proximity.
News from Azerbaijani Sources
Prosecutor General: Reports on pressure against Leyla Yunus fictitious
APA.az, October 01, 2014, https://en.apa.az/news/217116
“From the first day of the investigation, Leyla Yunus had a lawyer she wanted and she meets with him whenever she wants. Their rights and freedoms are guaranteed in accordance with the requirements of the Criminal Procedure Code,” said Prosecutor General Zakir Garalov while commenting on the protests of some international organizations, APA reports.
“The press is regularly informed about the criminal case of Yunus. Recent reports on pressure against Leyla Yunus are fictitious. This information has not been confirmed. The public will be thoroughly informed about her criminal case,” he said.