22 YEARS The #4 Noah’s Ark (1092) 9 February 2016 Published Since 1993 Weekly Newspaper HIGHLIGHTS ÜáÛÛ³Ý î³å³Ý ß³μ³Ã³Ã»ñà (³Ý·É. / ýñ³Ýë.) EU Urges Democratic Elections In Armenia Armenia - Piotr Switalski, the head of the EU Delegation in Armenia. See p. 3 In This Issue The region is on the threshold of a new Noyan Tapan Video Studio phase of Syrian crisis: R. Safrastyan p.5 is offering professional video and photography for indoor and outdoor events such as weddings, birthday parties, Yerevan Insists on lower official events, seminars and conferences. Tel: 060 27 64 62 Russian gas price p.6 Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor, Yerevan 0009 Ralph Yirikian's Personal Support to People Living in the Borderland p.12 Noyan Tapan Printing House Sergey Smbatyan Received Ovation is offering coloured and black and white offset and digital Conducting Sarajevo Philharmonic p.13 printing of books, brochures, booklets, journals, etc with Charles Aznavour: I hope Armenia will high quality and low prices Tel: 060 27 64 62 finally live in peace p.18 Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor, Yerevan 0009 9 February #4 (1092) 2016 2 www.nt.am The Noyan Tapan Highlights Armenia, Georgia sign 2016 Military Cooperation Plan A Georgian delegation led by Defense Minister Tinatin Khidasheli has arrived in Armenia for an official visit. Following an official welcome ceremony, the Defense Ministers of the two countries signed the 2016 Military Cooperation Plan. "Although Armenia and Georgia have chosen different securi- ty systems, it will not hamper the cooperation on a common bilat- eral agenda aimed at the reinforcement of security and stability in the region," Armenian DM Seyran Ohanyan told reporters follow- ing the meeting. "I think we can see the best example in Afghanistan, where Armenian and Georgian peacekeepers are serving together for the Tinatin Khidasheli said "the question is about strategic partner- sake of common peace and stability. I'm here to speak about ship." "Georgia has a NATO-member neighboring country in the issues that unite us. Peace in the Caucasus is the first thing that face of Turkey, which is of great importance to us," she said. unites us, and we cooperate in that direction," the Georgian The Georgian Defense Minister refrained from commenting Defense Minister said. on the vote of the Georgian delegation on the two anti-Armenian Referring to issues of Armenian-Georgian cooperation in the reports at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, context of Georgian-Turkish and Georgian-Azerbaijani relations, but advised to look at the issue from the perspective of security. Two anti-Armenian reports at PACE come to prove Azerbaijan's non-constructive stance: Edward Nalbandian progress in the talks is not because of "bad" mediators, but because of lack of will on the part of Azerbaijan." Relations with Russia are a key ele- ment in the foreign policy of Armenia, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said. "Strengthening the allied, strategic partnership with Russia is high on Armenia's foreign policy agenda," he said. Nalbandian recalled that in 2015 the Presidents of the two countries had held about a dozen meetings in the bilateral and multilateral formats. Minister Nalbandian reminded that "Azerbaijan's approach on the settle- Azerbaijan's non-constructive policy. during a dozen of meetings last year the ment of the Karabakh conflict contradicts "It was an attempt by Azerbaijan to Presidents of the two countries reached a not only that of Armenia, but also the take the Karabakh issue from the Minsk number of agreements of strategic impor- Minsk Group Co-Chairs," Armenian Group format to a different platform, thus tance in the political, military and techni- Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian causing damage to the settlement cal, science and education, cultural and told a press conference on February 2. process. This is not the first time other areas. Summing up the activities of the past Azerbaijan is trying to use the PACE The Minister added that the member- year, Minister Nalbandian said "Armenia, podium for taking the issue into a differ- ship in the Eurasian Economic Union as in cooperation with the OSCE Minsk ent direction," Minister Nalbandian said. of January 2014 "stemmed from Group, maintained efforts towards the Minsiter Nalbandian said the Iran Armenia's strategic interests" and peaceful resolution of the Karabakh con- deal was the most significant achieve- "opened up new opportunities for the flict." At the same time, he blamed ment in international relations in 2015. country's economic development." Azerbaijan for the frequent violations of "The lifting of sanctions against Iran will Besides, Armenia assumed the chairman- the ceasefire regime and the use of heavy boost the development of Armenian- ship of the Collective Security Treaty weapons. Iranian relations," he said. Organization (CSTO) in September 2015. The Minister added that the two anti- As for the willingness of Iran to The country "continues to act as an initia- Armenian reports considered by the assume a mediating role in the settlement tor and active participant in this associa- Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of the Karabakh conflict, Minister tion," the Armenian Foreign Ministry of Europe a few days ago come to prove Nalbandian noted that "the lack of said in a statement on Tuesday. 9 February #4 (1092) 2016 The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 3 EU Urges Democratic Elections In Armenia YEREVAN (RFE/RL) the republic will be elected by the parliament and have largely cer- emonial powers. A senior European Union official on February 5 called on the Switalski stressed the importance of a new Electoral Code, Armenian authorities to prevent serious irregularities in parlia- which the authorities plan to enact this this spring, for the proper mentary elections due in May 2017, saying that their conduct conduct of next year's polls. The EU hopes that they will "consult" could determine "the future of Armenia." with European experts and make sure that the code is also accept- Piotr Switalski, the head of the EU Delegation in Yerevan, able to the Armenian opposition, he said. warned of "further stagnation" in the country that might follow the "We hope very much that the final shape of the Electoral Code vote. "The elections of 2017, the first elections under the new con- will have a consensual character," added the diplomat. "It will be stitutional arrangements, may have a really big role for the future very important for the next elections." of Armenia," he said in a speech. Serzh Sargsyan and his Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) "It's not simply about another election," emphasized Switalski. have already promised to enact new electoral legislation that will "I think it's about the future of Armenia in a larger sense, it's about provide for a democratic contest. Their political opponents are the confidence of the people in the political governance of highly skeptical about these assurances, pointing to what they call Armenia, and it's also about Armenia's image in the international a falsification of the constitutional referendum held on December community." 6. Shortly after the referendum the EU urged the authorities to The 2017 elections will determine who will govern Armenia properly investigate "credible" allegations of fraud voiced by the after President Serzh Sargsyan completes his second and final opposition, independent observers and media. term in April 2018. Under Sargsyan's controversial constitutional Piotr Switalski reiterated the EU calls. "For us, [ongoing fraud changes enacted in December, Armenia will switch to the parlia- investigations] will be a very important signal as to how to prepare mentary system of government by that time. The next president of ourselves for the next elections," he said. U.S. 'not opposed' to closer Armenia-Iran ties The United States does not object to have long encouraged Armenia to diver- Armenia's plans to step up economic sify its energy supply, including explor- cooperation with neighboring Iran fol- ing opportunities for alternative/renew- lowing the lifting of international sanc- able sources and greater regional integra- tions against Tehran, the U.S. ambassador tion, for the sake of greater energy effi- in Yerevan, Richard Mills, said on ciency and to avoid overdependence on February 5. any one party or source." "Armenia has the sovereign right to Armenia was quick to welcome the pursue strong, mutually beneficial rela- July 2015 agreement on Iran's controver- tions with as many nations as it wishes," sial nuclear program and the resulting Mills said in written comments to sanctions relief. Senior Armenian offi- RFE/RL's Armenian service . cials have said the landmark deal will "With respect to Iran, the U.S. speed up the implementation of Government gratefully acknowledges the Armenian-Iranian energy projects regard- part Armenia played in making possible ed as strategically important by Yerevan. the diplomatic engagement that led to the President Serzh Sargsyan and his tricity to Iran. Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, by Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani dis- Yerevan hopes that greater oil rev- fully respecting the international commu- cussed the new opportunities for boosting enues and the unfreezing of its assets in nity's sanctions on Iran over the years, Armenian-Iranian commercial ties in a the U.S. and Europe will also enable Iran even when that effort came at some cost phone call late last month. to finance the construction of a major to Armenia and its economy," he said, The two neighboring states already hydroelectric plant on the Armenian- referring to Iran's nuclear deal with the signed in August last year a final agree- Iranian border. The $350 million project U.S. and other world powers.