Elections in Armenia

[Armenian]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

I wasn't sure where I wanted this piece by our CIA operative in Armenia. I thought since I already have several posts about Armenianow in this thread this would be a good place to post it. Anyway, here we see agent John "the horse face" Hughes finally addressing, albeit in general terms, the serious corruption that exists in the US government. Is this a sincere critique of his bosses in Washington DC or is it simply a clever way to reply to accusation about him being a foreign agent in Armenia??? Regardless of his intentions, we Armenians have been around for over four thousand five hundred years, we'll continue being around long after the US retires to the pages of ancient history. John Hughes should stop worrying about our internal problems and instead open an "investigative journalism" office in Washington DC called "AmericaNow".

Nonetheless, the article is interesting to read.

Armenian

**************************

Drink to Change: 1,643,835,616 reasons why I’m voting for Obama

As the Placebo President, George Woops Bush, winds down the great American nightmare that started with an election he didn’t win and concludes with the whole world losing, his administration continues to the end to miss opportunities. Having lost the War on Terror, Washington is hardly doing any better fighting the War on Error that can’t be bought off for even $700 billion. You’d think Yerevan is far enough outside the D.C. Beltway to be spared the shrapnel of an imploding empire built on greed and deception. But no. My Erebuni beer (the “Official Beer of ArmeniaNow”, should market distributors be reading) now costs 350 drams – nearly 30 percent more than three years ago – and I’m not blaming beer-making oligarch parliamentarian arm wrestler Gagik Tsarukyan. No sir, I’m dropping the mug at W’s doorstep.

Isolated in nearly every way from the rest of the real world, lonely little Armenia some how pops up on the radar when it comes to being penalized for others’ mistakes. (Remember petrol lines when the clown in Georgia crossed the bear in Russia this August?) Like in the US, here we’ve had men in office who got there by illegitimate means. But at least Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan have turned out double-digit growth while Gevorg Bushyan and Tigran Cheneyan flushed their country down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s toilet. To digress: If a country’s financial liability rests on the performance of institutions with names that sound like cartoon characters, couldn’t even someone as vacant as “the Decider” see a crack in the foundation?

Anyway. I suppose all of us in ear-shot of CNN have heard Wall Street’s Humpty Dumpty impersonation played out to the “Brother Can You Spare a Dime” tune of $700 billion. And if you share my curiosity, we try to comprehend: What would that many dollars – 700,000,000,000 buy? That’s 210,000,000,000,000 drams. I don’t even know what to call that number, so I call it 600 billion Erebunis. At the current average rate (per square meter of land), Fanny and Freddie could have bought the entire expanse of Armenia, and had approximately $20 billion left. $700 billion is $233,333 for each person “officially” claimed in the Armenian population. During the latest presidential election here, it would have bought 42 billion votes (President Serzh needed only 862 thousand).

Laid end-to-end, the number of kebabs you could buy with $700 billion would reach 79,545,454 miles – from Proshian Street to Mars, with 369 million kebabs left over – give or take a couple. The amount would buy 700 million one-way tickets to Glendale. The Republic of Armenia Government could run for 35 years at its current budget on $700 billion. And at one a day (like the doctor recommends), I could have Erebuni until I am 1,643,835,616 years old. Unless the price goes up again. That’s why I’m voting democrat. I knew if I stayed here long enough, I could find a way that even I could vote for change in Armenia.

Source: http://www.armenianow.com/?action=vi...D=1204&lng=eng

[Federate]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

Ter-Petrosian Halts Protests, Blasts ‘Immoral’ West

By Emil Danielyan

Opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian on Friday called a “temporary” halt to his year-long campaign of anti-government demonstrations, citing the need to stave off greater Armenian concessions on Nagorno-Karabakh which he said are sought by the West.

In a trademark long speech at what may have been his last rally in Yerevan this year, Ter-Petrosian launched his most blistering attack yet on the United States and other Western powers, saying that they are turning a blind eye to government “repressions” in Armenia in their quest for a “unilateral” resolution of the Karabakh conflict. He also accused President Serzh Sarkisian of radically re-orienting Armenian foreign policy and assisting in what described as Western efforts to drive Russia out of the region.

“The pause will not be long-lasting because a denouement in the Karabakh conflict is a matter of just two or three months,” Ter-Petrosian told thousands of supporters who again rallied in central Yerevan to hear him announce the new opposition strategy of confronting the Sarkisian administration.

“There is a danger that the opposition may become a tool in the hands of foreign forces against its will,” he said. “To fall into this trap would be an unforgivable delusion and a political short-sightedness on our part. Therefore, being sincerely in favor of a quick settlement of the Karabakh conflict and Turkish-Armenian relations, we do not want to prevent the Armenian authorities from solving those issues,” he added.

Ter-Petrosian at the same time charged that Sarkisian is now ready to go as far as to “put Karabakh up for sale” and renounce Armenia’s political and military alliance with Russia in an effort to legitimize his rule in the eyes of the international community. “In return for this, the West is ready to turn a blind eye to Serzh Sarkisian’s vices; forget the disgraceful elections of February 19 and the March 1 crime; ignore his dictatorial internal policy; tolerate restrictions on democratic freedoms and widespread human rights abuses; and come to terms with the existence of political prisoners,” he said, repeatedly condemning the Western stance as “immoral.”

“By turning his back on Russia and fully relying on the West and the United States of Armenia and its ally Turkey in particular, Serzh Sarkisian is effectively entrusting the latter with the pivotal issue in Armenia’s foreign policy: a unilateral settlement of the Karabakh conflict,” Ter-Petrosian claimed. “Such a conclusion stems from the fact that the West is clearly trying to drive Russia out of the Karabakh peace process.” Russia’s ouster from the process would be tantamount to a “national disaster” for Armenia, he said.

The charismatic leader, who had served as Armenia’s first president from 1991-1998, did not mention unusually optimistic statements made by senior Russian officials of late about prospects for a resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani. Russia has long co-chaired the OSCE Minsk Group together with France and the U.S.

Washington and Moscow have said they will continue to work together in trying to broker a Karabakh peace deal despite a sharp deterioration of U.S.-Russian relations that followed the recent war in Georgia. The mediating powers are expected to step up in the coming weeks their joint efforts to get the conflicting parties to accept a framework peace accord that was put forward by them in November last year. The document calls for a gradual resolution of the conflict that would supposedly end in a referendum of self-determination in Karabakh.

Ter-Petrosian listed the basic principles of a Karabakh settlement proposed by the Minsk Group co-chairs but did not specify whether he thinks Yerevan should go along with them. He said only that the Armenian side should have the mediators clarify when proposed referendum would take place and who would administer it. Ter-Petrosian had earlier described those principles as largely acceptable and stressed the fact that they are similar to a peace plan which he had strongly advocated while in power.

With his 45-minute speech Ter-Petrosian ended speculation about a renewed opposition campaign of daily street protests aimed at forcing Sarkisian to step down and call fresh national elections. Ter-Petrosian and his opposition coalition came close to toppling the government with such protests in the wake of the disputed presidential ballot. The Armenian authorities used lethal force and arrested scores of opposition members to suppress the campaign.

Throughout last summer Ter-Petrosian’s Armenian National Congress (HAK) told supporters to get ready for renewed “decisive” actions against the government in September. But the HAK refrained from making another push for power last month amid the continuing imprisonment of more than 70 opposition leaders and supporters arrested following the February 19 election and the ensuing unrest.

Ter-Petrosian acknowledged on Friday that for many of his ardent supporters his decision not hold more rallies in the capital in the coming months will be “difficult to digest.” But he insisted that further street protests would “weaken Serzh Sarkisian’s positions and thereby increase possibilities of exerting external pressure on him and clinching concessions from him.”

From http://www.armenialiberty.org/armeni...0425659928.ASP

[Armenian]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

Another desperate attempt by Levin Petrostein. As usual, he is full of shit. His street whores have been diminishing in numbers as of late. His relative popularity amongst Armenia's gypsies had been waning recently, especially after the Russo-Georgian war. So, he is digging for crap, anything that would continue making him look and/or sound like a serious statesman. He may also be getting back at the West for abandoning him early this year. By abandoning his anti Serzh Sargsyan campaign, he may also be trying to kiss some ass as well. Nonetheless, Armenia under Serzh Sargsyan is the closest Armenia has been to Russia without actually being a part of Russia. Artsakh is not for sale and Western interest have been more-or-less evicted from the Caucasus region. It now seems like Levin is finally going into retirement...

[Federate]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

Ruling Party Hails End Of Opposition Rallies

By Ruben Meloyan and Ruzanna Stepanian

The governing Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) has welcomed opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian’s decision to halt his year-long campaign of anti-government protests which he attributed to an “impending denouement” in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. By contrast, some of Ter-Petrosian’s opposition allies have openly taken issue with the move.

Addressing thousands of supporters who gathered in Yerevan on Friday, the former Armenian president said his opposition alliance will not hold more rallies in the next few months to make sure President Serzh Sarkisian does not make greater concessions on Karabakh. He claimed that Sarkisian would agree to such concessions in order to get the West to shore up his positions. Ter-Petrosian strongly condemned what he described as a pro-Western tilt in Armenia’s foreign policy.

“While disagreeing with many of his views, we find positive the fact that during yesterday’s rally the first president and his teammates adopted a more balanced position and stated that national and state interests are their chief priority and they don’t want to exploit the Karabakh issue,” Eduard Sharmazanov, the HHK’s chief spokesman, told RFE/RL on Saturday.

Sharmazanov dismissed opposition claims that Sarkisian, who came to power in a disputed presidential election last February, lacks legitimacy at home and abroad. “Mr. Sarkisian’s internal and especially foreign policies have only increased the president’s legitimacy,” he said.

Sharmazanov also insisted that the Armenian president is “neither pro-Russian, nor pro-Western” and, contrary to Ter-Petrosian’s statements, is not acquiescing in alleged U.S. efforts to squeeze Russia out of the Karabakh peace process. That process will continue to be jointly spearheaded by the United States, Russia and France, he said.

While renewing his harsh attacks on the government, Ter-Petrosian stopped short of rejecting a Karabakh peace accord proposed by the three mediating powers. It calls for a gradual settlement that would result in the liberation of virtually all Armenian-controlled districts in Azerbaijan proper that surround Karabakh.

Zhirayr Sefilian, the leader of a hard-line nationalist group aligned in Ter-Petrosian’s Armenian National Congress (HAK), on Monday denounced the proposed settlement as a “capitulation” and said he will not hesitate to stage street protests to scuttle its acceptance by official Yerevan. He said there are also other, unspecified factions in the HAK that disagree with Ter-Petrosian on this issue.

“We are in favor of continued popular pressure on this regime,” Sefilian told RFE/RL. “First of all, they must forget about conceding any Armenian lands. The majority of our people won’t accept that. And secondly, the world must understand that it is impossible to agree with the leaders of this regime on any issue because they have lost touch with the Armenian people.”

Also disagreeing with Ter-Petrosian were two senior members of Zharangutyun, the only opposition party represented in Armenia’s parliament. Although not affiliated with the HAK, Zharangutyun endorsed Ter-Petrosian in the run-up to the February vote and has supported him since then.

Zaruhi Postanjian, an outspoken parliamentarian and civil rights campaigner, said Ter-Petrosian should have continued his campaign not least because of the continuing imprisonment of more than 70 of his supporters arrested following the post-election unrest in Yerevan. “Having so many victims of March 1 and a huge number of imprisoned individuals, I think we had no right to stop mass events,” she said. “The Armenian National Congress may find it necessary to stop holding such events, but a large segment of the society wants to hold protests and may exercise their constitutional right.”

Another Zharangutyun lawmaker, Stepan Safarian, disagreed with Ter-Petrosian’s view that Armenia is drifting away from Russia, its historical ally.

From http://www.armenialiberty.org/armeni...294B17BA6E.ASP

[Tigranakert]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

Armenian, first you suggested that the President should have jailed the heads of the opposition. How do you think about it now? Wouldn't that made things worse? The President has let the j-e-w bark, and as a result less and less people came to his demonstrations. Was, what the President did, the best solution, also taking into consideration the international arena?

[Armenian]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

Armenian, first you suggested that the President should have jailed the heads of the opposition.

Personally, I wanted him jailed, exiled or killed.

How do you think about it now?

Personal sentiments and political realities on the ground must be considered/evaluated separately. The failure to separate wish from reality is a problem most people make when observing politics. This goes back to what I keep saying about reality-versus-fantasy when it come to Armenia's/Artsakh's geopolitical status in the region.

Wouldn't that made things worse? The President has let the j-e-w bark, and as a result less and less people came to his demonstrations.

Putting aside the international factor (which seemed to be minor after all was said and done), authorities did not touch him primarily because he had/has a considerable following both in Armenia and in the diaspora. He has connections to many of our nation's wealthy and powerful. Moreover, he has dirt on many of our current politicians, as they have dirt on him. Trying to eliminate him would have been mutually destructive. Thus, the authorities decided to simply deal with him and allow the sociopolitical momentum he created late last year expire naturally. In my opinion they did the right thing. Levin's street clowns may actually turn against him now that they think they were betrayed or let down.

Was, what the President did, the best solution, also taking into consideration the international arena?

Which president Sargsyan or the former president Petrosian? I don't understand the question.

[Tigranakert]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

I meant the current President. I also think he did the right job of letting the sociopolitical momentum the j-e-w created expire naturally, a wise decision.

'Wise men learn more from fools than fools from the wise.'

[Federate]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

It's ironic that the so-called "principles" for the settlement of the Artsakh issue that Serge Sarkissian is now discussing and the Russians are confirming and the Armenian officials are hinting are the same damn concessions LTP was ousted for in 1998 http://thekarabakhdeal.blogspot.com/...-conflict.html

[KarotheGreat]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

It's ironic that the so-called "principles" for the settlement of the Artsakh issue that Serge Sarkissian is now discussing and the Russians are confirming and the Armenian officials are hinting are the same damn concessions LTP was ousted for in 1998 http://thekarabakhdeal.blogspot.com/...-conflict.html

If that's true it's time for what we did in 98 and the military and the genrals to get into action and get Robert back.

[Armanen]

Re: Presidential elections 2008 in Armenia

If that's true it's time for what we did in 98 and the military and the genrals to get into action and get Robert back.

Why robert? I would like to see Armen Ayvazyan as Pres.