Elections in Armenia

[Armenian]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

Yes, yes, I just remembered. Back then when Gerhard was hired to work for Gazprom there was some controversy. Some media sources were more-or-less claiming that Gerhard had maintained good relations with Moscow for personal gain. Well, whatever the case may be, Robert will be in good company... But just look at this Gazprom, they are becoming king of kings - literally.

Yes, Gerhard Schröder has been since 2006

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_Schr%C3%B6der#Gazprom

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/ap...schr-a14.shtml

[Armenian]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

Այս տխուր և ողբերգական լուրը նոր է հասել ինձ: Սրտանց ցավակցում եմ: Անմեղ արյունը Պորնիկ Լևոնի վզին:

ՄԱՐՏԻ ՄԵԿԻ 9-ՐԴ ԶՈՀԸ 19-ԱՄՅԱ ԶԻՆԾԱՌԱՅՈՂ ՏԻԳՐԱՆՆ Է
Նախօրեին, ժամը 18.30-ի սահմաններում պրոֆ. Միքայելյանի անվան հիվանդանոցում մահացել է 19-ամյա զինծառայող Տիգրան Աբգարյանը, ով վիրավորվել էր մարտի մեկի զանգվածային անկարգությունների ժամանակ: Նա ունեցել է պարանոցային 6-րդ, 7-րդ ողների հրազենային-բեկորային կոտրվածքներ, իսկ վիրահատության ժամանակ պարզվել է, որ վնասվել է նաև ողնուղեղը: Տ. Աբգարյանը 42 օր շարունակ մնաց Միքայելյանի վերակենդանացման բաժանմունքում, նրա վիճակը գնահատվում էր ծայրահեղ ծանր: Նշենք, որ մարտի մեկի զանգվածային անկարգությունների հետևանքով զոհերի թիվը պաշտոնապես հասավ իննի: Այսպիսով, ԱՆ համակարգի բուժհաստատություններում մնաց 4 տուժած քաղաքացի, որից մեկը ևս Արմենիա ԲԿ-ի վերակենդանացման բաժանմունքում է գտնվում:

Death toll in Armenia's March violence rises to 9 after policeman dies of wounds

The death toll in Armenia's nation's postelection violence in March reached nine Friday after a police officer died in a hospital, officials said. Armenian police spokesman Sayat Shirinian said the officer died Friday of gunshot wounds and numerous injuries he received during violent clashes in the Armenian capital on March 1. The day of clashes between police and demonstrators protesting alleged fraud in the Feb. 19 presidential election also left 265 people injured, 210 of them policemen. The violence which culminated in police firing bullets into the air and tear gas to disperse 15,000 opposition demonstrators appeared to be Armenia's worst in nearly a decade. The violence was followed by a 20-day state of emergency, banning public gatherings. Scores of opposition activists have been detained.

Source: http://www.pr-inside.com/death-toll-...ce-r532331.htm

[alter ego]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

For those who understand russian. Two very interesting documentaries about colorful, "song and dance" revolutions in former USSR republics.

http://rutube.ru/tracks/269210.html?...7f276e1555e337

http://rutube.ru/tracks/38992.html?r...5419734b34fb30

One and same fingerprint in all of them.

[freakyfreaky]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

you know what kills me is that some here categorize being opposed to current government (Serge and Robert) as being pro-Levon. But, it ain't that simple. In 1996, what role did Serge play in Levon's government to hold power? You can be opposed to Sargsyan's presidency and be anti-LTP also. So, this definition that anti-Serge = pro-LTP is just plain stoopid!!!

And, you can consider Artsakh to be part of Armenia and be concerned about former communist party leaders from SR of Azerbaijan running your country when your country is representing to its own, educated people that it is a constitutional democracy.

If the RA wasn't concerned about democratizing for encouraging repatriation, then what was the benefit of doing so - lining the pockets of the elite???

Serge won a political mandate and then formed a coalition government with an apolitical PM, why? Because he is democratic?

Armenian, I can assure you that you are not a member of the "golden core" and "royal bloodline", if either actually exist, that you attempt to inlcude yourself in.

[Virgil]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

You can be opposed to Sargsyan's presidency and be anti-LTP also. So, this definition that anti-Serge = pro-LTP is just plain stoopid!!!

[alter ego]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

you know what kills me is that some here categorize being opposed to current government (Serge and Robert) as being pro-Levon. But, it ain't that simple. In 1996, what role did Serge play in Levon's government to hold power? You can be opposed to Sargsyan's presidency and be anti-LTP also. So, this definition that anti-Serge = pro-LTP is just plain stoopid!!!

And, you can consider Artsakh to be part of Armenia and be concerned about former communist party leaders from SR of Azerbaijan running your country when your country is representing to its own, educated people that it is a constitutional democracy.

If the RA wasn't concerned about democratizing for encouraging repatriation, then what was the benefit of doing so - lining the pockets of the elite???

Serge won a political mandate and then formed a coalition government with an apolitical PM, why? Because he is democratic?

Armenian, I can assure you that you are not a member of the "golden core" and "royal bloodline", if either actually exist, that you attempt to inlcude yourself in.

I don't know what do you mean with "golden core". But Armenian and people like him are in the core of patriots away from fake democrats like you and away from traitor ltp.

[Tigranakert]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

I had an interesting conversation with a good friend of mine in Armenia yesterday. He said that during the celebrations, a few hundred levonnakaner (turks) rallied in the Republic Square of Armenia and were shouting "Levon, Levon" in the hope that more people would follow them.

People did not, and they left. He said that a lot of people got tired of those turks and want to move on. He says our president is trying to do his best and wants to put major reforms in the government.

He has invited a team of intellectuals to start a diplomatic attack against Azerbaijan and re-claim Nakichevan (as a counter-attack, one of the reasons was the UN Resolution). Things are going to change in Armenia now, and I hope for the positive.

[Armanen]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

re-claim Nakichevan (as a counter-attack, one of the reasons was the UN Resolution).

That would be nice, but I'm not going to get my hopes up.

[Lernakan]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

He has invited a team of intellectuals to start a diplomatic attack against Azerbaijan and re-claim Nakichevan (as a counter-attack, one of the reasons was the UN Resolution). Things are going to change in Armenia now, and I hope for the positive.

I've heard some things about that too. I think it was on Armenian television. It would be a great offensive on Azerbaijan (either give up your false hopes on Artsakh or we will even claim Nakhichevan which rightly belongs to us).

Have you also heard of the possible employment of Edward Nalbandyan as the foreign minister of Armenia? I hope he gets the post I've heard a lot of great things about him.

EDWARD NALBANDIAN IS EXPECTED TO REPLACE VARDAN OSKANIAN

Azeri Press Agency
April 10 2008
Azerbaijan

Yerevan- APA. Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanian has taken leave
of the staff of his office. APA quotes Arminfo, Armenian ambassador
to France, Israel, Vatican and Andorra Edward Nalbandian is expected
to replace Vardan Oskanian in this post. Edward Nalbandyan was born
in 1956 in Armenia.

He graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations
in 1978 and post-graduated from the Oriental Studies Institute of
USSR Academy of Sciences in 1988. He was working for USSR embassy in
Libya in 1978-1983 and USSR foreign ministry in 1983-1986. He was
counselor of USSR, later Russian Embassy in Egypt in 1986-1992 and
Armenian charge d'affairs in Egypt, Morocco and Oman in 1992-1993. He
was appointed the Armenian ambassador to France in 1999. Edward
Nalbandyan was decorated with USSR order of Friendship of Peoples
and Vatican's St-George Grand Cross order. He is a knight of French
Legion of Honor. He speaks French, English and Arabic. He is married
and father of one daughter.

OSKANIAN IS QUITTING. WHO’S COMING NEXT?

It is said that the life is a sequence of coincidences and random events, and it can be hardly explained by logical methods. However, this point of view is inappropriate for politics, moreover for the foreign policy of a state.

Tomorrow, as it came to be known, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia Vardan Oskanian is to resign from his office.

Tomorrow Mr. Oskanian is not to be the Foreign Minister any longer, but today he is still the person responsible for the recent failures of our foreign policy, and he shall ever remain one of the greatest contributors of our achievements in that field. In any case, irrespective of the skills and the experience of the Foreign Minister, the weak positions of the Armenian diplomacy are rooted elsewhere.

It has been a long time that Armenia has needed a strong foreign policy, able to make bold and important moves, which were avoided equally by the President and the Foreign Minister. On the other hand a number of urgent and important issues can make halt any candidate on the way to the office of the Foreign Minister.

Particularly, after the passage of the Azerbaijani resolution at the UN General Assembly, Armenia has a serious problem with positioning itself in international organizations. In connection with this also the Armenian Foreign Ministry decided to take defensive positions, after having taken no action to prevent such developments. Armenia claimed that the resolution is just a consultative document that has no legal power and rejoiced with the number of vote abstentions, instead of having dissuaded those who voted for the resolution.

There was always dissatisfaction with the functioning of Armenian diplomatic representations in foreign states. After March 1 events the Foreign Ministry also revealed having some trouble with its staff.

Some more examples can be brought from the Karabakh process and particularly from the sphere of Armenian Foreign Ministry’s relations with the mediating Minsk Group. The OSCE Minsk Group American Co-Chair Matthew Bryza, the husband of the head of Hudson Institute Eurasia Policy Department Zeyno Baran, is to be present to the inauguration ceremony of President-Elect Serge Sarkisian.

Taking into consideration only those circumstances, it is well enough to exclude the verbose, partial and senseless Co-Chairman from the Minsk Group. Taking into account also the fact that Bryza is trying to keep his image of a professional diplomat and pretend that his work is by no means associated with his private life at the same time when his wife is giving pro-Azerbaijani interviews and is warmly welcomed by Aliev, the silence of the Armenian Foreign Ministry is merely foolish, how complimentary our foreign policy be.

However, the era of complimentary policy shall possibly end with Oskanian’s era. We should probable become more enterprising, but with who – that is another question. Considering the currently pending candidatures for the ministerial chair, no hope of success occurs, unless, probably, Ambassador to France Edward Nalbandian becomes the Foreign Minister. On the other hand Nalbandian’s chanced are unfortunately rather modest.

[Lernakan]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

"AFTER TEN YEARS OF INTERRUPTION, WE HAVE A PERSON AND A PARLIAMENT HAVING POLITICAL VIEWS"

Since December 1, 2007, National Self-Determination Union has taken a decision to support the presidential candidate who will support the political programs of the party led by democratic and national values.

The Union mainly mentioned the following provisions: to reject recognition of March 16, 1921 agreement directly or indirectly; to stop all the negotiations with Azerbaijan on Artsakh issue and recognize the right of self-determination of Artsakh and its right to be a negotiation party; to negotiate with Azerbaijan about lifting of Armenian blockade and returning of Nakhijevan illegally handed to Azerbaijan through Ataturk-Lenin agreement.

Paruyr Hayrikian had met with Serge Sargsian and presented their party’s conditions. In case of implementation they will work with the authorities, the political figure informed in "Hayeli" club on April 10.

According to Hayrikian’s model, Armenia should become the most democratic country in the world. He wants the model to be first implemented in Nagorno Karabakh.

Mr. Hayrikian mentioned that after ten years of anti-political government of Robert Kocharian today we have already a political president and a parliament.

According to Hayrikian, Robert Kocharian was governing 10 years not being a political figure and a member of a party.

Regarding Serge Sargsian as a political president, the politician means that Serge Sargsian is a clear part of the political system and has a party membership.

To the question what will induce Serge Sargsian to carry out changes in the country, Paruyr Hayrikian said, "First, the opinion of the international community, and second, the fact that the Republican Party considers itself as descendant of National United Party and bearer of its values.

Touching upon March 1 incidents, Chairman of NSU mentioned that if it happens in any country the first responsible are the authorities, as they are to prevent that kind of development. According to him, if the authorities had information that the demonstrators were armed, then they should appeal to the demonstrators and suggest for carrying out a search together with them.

According to Hayrikian, it is necessary that the country is led by the people who haven’t "checklist" psychology, and Robert Kocharian was led by that kind of psychology. Kocharian announced that after lifting of the state of emergency it would not be appropriate to hold rallies and go on marches.

Not the whim of Kocharian but the country’s constitution should be a determinant in the country, underlined the Chairman of NSU.