Levon Ter-Petrosian Must be Punished!

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Levon Ter-Petrosian Must be Punished!

Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:12 pm

Get involved!!! Fax or email the following to various embassies and/or organization.

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Levon Ter Petrosian Must be Punished!

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The treasonous criminal Levon Ter Petrosian and his team of bloody usurpers need to be punished for their crimes against the Armenian state. We expect to see Levon Ter Petrosian and his team imprisoned for life, exiled or executed for their crimes. President Robert Kocharyan waited far too long to crack down the masses of absolute idiots pursuing suicidal political agendas. If Armenia is to be respected as a viable nation serious about protecting its national interests, every single one of the organizers of last weekend's failed coup d'etat need to be imprisoned, deported or executed for treason against the state. There can be no sane excuses for supporting a treasonous criminal like the turkophile Levon Ter Petrosian, especially after having observed eight years of his corrupt and ruinous presidency. If the Armenian electorate was dissatisfied with Serzh Sargsyan they should have given their support to any of the other presidential candidates - not Levon Ter Petrosian. Sadly, a significant portion of the Armenian nation today has revealed severe political immaturity and social irresponsibility. Consequently, a significant portion of Armenia’s citizenry has revealed that they are unable to govern themselves via democratic means.

Nevertheless, we expect the Armenian state to:

Ruthlessly crush the bloody rebellion and severely punish its leadership.

Summon the Russian FSB to help hunt down and eliminate anyone involved in the funding and/or the organization of this attempted coup d'etat.

Shut-down western funded anti-state media outlets such as A1 Plus, Hetq, Armenianow and Radio Liberty.

Subject to closure various NGOs in Yerevan that are engaged in anti-state activities.

Deport foreign agents such as Onnik Krokorian and Richard Giragosian back to where they came from.

Deport the brainless pig Raffi Hovanisian back to his stinking hole in California.

Up hold the rule of law and order in Armenia.

Protect at all costs the territorial integrity of Armenia and Artsakh.

Protect at all costs Armenia's alliance with the Russian Federation.


Serzh Sargsyan's presidency will be judged by whether or not he is able to eradicate the HHSh party within the Armenian Republic. The HHSh party is a cancer in Armenia serving American and Turkish interests. This dangerous cancer needs to be eradicated as soon as possible.

Signed,

Concerned Armenians
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Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:22 pm

Please forward appropriate articles in this thread concerning Levon Ter-Petrosian to as many people as you can. There is a well organized campaign out of southern California and several English language websites that have been working towards discrediting the Armenian Government, inciting unrest in the Armenian Republic and encouraging anti-Artsakh/Nagorno Karabagh rhetoric. The harsh realities of the treasonous criminal Levon Petrosian needs to be disseminated within the Armenian public. I ask you to mail the above links to as many individuals, news papers, websites, organizations and churches as you can.

These are some of the websites that have been involved in this bloody coup attempt:

Hetq: http://www.hetq.am/arm/

Armenianow: http://www.armenianow.com/?lng=eng

A1 Plus: http://www.a1plus.am/amu/

Send these sites your messages of anger and disgust. Let's show these mother fuckers that not all of us are deaf, dumb and blind to what they are attempting to do.

If you are upset with what's going on, get active!!!
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Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:34 pm

Armenians, wake up!

Do not spare these petty demons involved in Levon Ter-Petrosian's movement. These people are a threat to the very existence of the Armenian nation. They are playing with fire. I pray to God the fire ends up burning them. Do not argue with them, do not debate with them. Simply do what you must do to off-set their evil agenda. Contact your local embasies and express your strong support for the ruling authorities and your wish to see Levon and his street porniks punished severely.

Do not fool yourselves, open your eyes, this struggle is between Artsakh Armenians and Yerevan Armenians over the Armenia's meager economic resources. If these animals in the Levon camp succeed in overthrowing "Karabgahtsiner" from Yerevan all they will do is replace them with Yerevantsi criminals with Yerevan style corruption and oppression. Just looking at the individuals involved, Petrosian, Grzo, Manvel, Arzumanian, etc., it's quite obvious that this movement has nothing to do with democracy, fighting corruption, free elections, ect...

Their evil agenda is simply rooted in severe jealousy and revenge, nothing more. The fact of the matter is, when these demons were ruling in the 90's we saw what they were. Never again. If these people are truly against corrupt "Karabaghtsiner" let them go after the 'individuals' who are corrupt and not mix into this sociopolitical mess the entire population of Artsakh, Artsakh's name, or Artskh's geopolitical status. Nonetheless, a majority of Armenians in and out of Armenia do not support their evil agenda. However, many people simple do not understand the geopolitical/sociopolitical ramifications of this destructive movement. As a result, many of the naive folk are falling victims to their lies and manipulations.

I keep hearing - "but Artsakh is seeking independence, that is treason."

The reason why official Artsakh at times insinuates pursuing independence, dependent of Armenia, is due to regional geopolitics. Theoretically, Stepanakert pursuing independence alone because that is more palatable for international bodies than having Armenia annex Artsakh. Mixing Armenia into the independence factor of Artsakh insinuates, on the international stage, that Armenia is attempting to annex Artsakh for its nationalistic pursuits. An example of this situation is the status of Kosovo. Why did Kosovo not join Albania and choose independence at the encouragement of Washington? Because internationally such a move would be more acceptable.

Besides the great sentimental and psychological importance of Armenian dominance in Artsakh, why is Artsakh's crucially important for the Armenian nation?

1) With its numerous monasteries and archaeological sites, Artsakh is culturally very important to us Armenians.

2) Artsakh is a breadbasket. Large percentage of the territory in question is highly fertile and can feed ten Armenia's. Armenia's arable lands are more-or-less confined to the Ararat valley and, agriculturally, the Ararat valley is very stressed.

3) Artsakh has significant deposits of minerals/metals that are crucial for Armenia's economic growth.

4) If the Armenian nation looses Artsakh it will loose along with it a significant percentage of the diaspora's most committed Armenians, Armenians who's sole emotional, psychological and physical attachment to Armenia today stems from our historic victory in Artsakh and not the third world style political situation in Yerevan.

5) Artsakh is a strategic territory that gives Armenia geopolitical importance on the international stage. World powers 'only' understand the language of might. Armenia being a tiny landlocked nation within a region like the Caucasus 'cannot' afford to give up a single square millimeter of its territory. As a matter of fact, for Armenia to truly prosper, Armenia need to gradually expand it national holdings. Therefore, instead of thinking about how it will be if we abandon Artsakh - start thinking about how will it be when Armenia gains direct assess to the Black Sea.

6) Sacrificing Artsakh for open borders and trade with Azeris and Turks only means Armenia's eventual enslavement to the Azeri and Turkish economies. Once Armenia become dependent on Azerbaijan and Turkey economically - kiss Armenia and all its national interests goodbye. In such a case, I will personally make every effort to have my children assimilate into their comfortable western existence as soon as possible for I will never look toward an Armenia as a Turkish slave.

If I had to choose between trusting Yerevan in the hands of Russophobe Turkophile gyots of Levon's camp or oppressive and aggressive Artsakh Armenians - I would choose Artsakh Armenians every single time.

And before anyone reading my commentary says - you have no right to get involved in the internal politics of Armenia if you are not an Armenian citizen living in Armenia; I have two things to say:

1) Whether you know it or not, whether you want it or not, foreign agents are already deeply involved in these types of movements. Therefore, if you don't want the opinion of diasporan nationalists, just realize that you are already allowing Western and Turkish agents to sow their seeds of destruction in Armenia.

2) What's more, the greater picture is clearer from a distance than when you are stuck in it. Ignorant and/or hungry people cannot be trusted to make the right political decisions for a nation, especially for a nation that has complex geopolitical problems such as Armenia.
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Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:38 pm

Armenian scenario

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On February 19, a head of state will be elected in what is for us a friendly and very important country. The elections in Armenia are very similar to those Russia will hold in March. The successor of the current president will run for the top position; he is being opposed by representatives of the former government, and his long standing opponents. As in Russia, the current government's nominee - Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian - has every chance of success. As in Russia, the popularity of the current government in Armenia rests on economic success. When Robert Kocharian's team came to power ten years ago Armenia was in a desperate position. It had suffered several years of economic dislocation, absence of electricity and heating. Today, Armenia, a country with no energy resources or any other tangible natural resources, has one of the world's most dynamic economies. Its economy grew by 13.6% last year, one of the fastest rates in the world.

But statistics as such are of little interest to the voters. What matters for them is how those statistics reflect their well-being. During the past year, average incomes increased by 24.7%, while inflation did not exceed the Russian old dream rate of 6%. Last year's parliamentary elections testified to serious public support for the current government. The ruling Republican Party, led by Sarkisian, together with its ally and rival Prosperous Armenia, headed by Gagik Tsarukian, received more than half of all votes and two thirds of seats in parliament. Now this alliance has shored up its power even further - at the presidential elections Tsarukian will support Sarkisian. This partnership is as hard hitting as that between Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev in Russia. The latest polls give Sarkisian 47.5% of all votes, which are likely to guarantee his victory in the first round.

Today, Yerevan looks like an enormous construction site. The prime minister and his political consultants do not have to ponder over election scenarios - Sarkisian is travelling all around the country, and telling his compatriots about ambitious plans for spreading the gas network, road and house construction, and the eradication of poverty. He does not need a detailed program, and has drafted a short document on the consolidation of statehood and promotion of the principles of justice. Sarkisian cannot be accused of weakness or lack of experience - before heading the government, he served in various positions in security-related ministries, and his name is associated with military victories in Karabakh. Relations with Russia and the West are a big part of the election campaign. It is hard to notice anti-Russian attitudes in Armenia - Russia is associated with hope and support. But the same is true of anti-Western sentiment, which is only natural considering the existence of the influential Armenian Diaspora countries such as the United States and France. Sarkisian has a well-deserved reputation of a pro-Russian politician. He has known Putin for a long time, since he worked in CIS security-related agencies. But he is quite open to cooperation with the West, which practically eliminates the possibility of a foreign country conducting a large-scale campaign against him, as has sometimes happened in post-Soviet republics.

In this position it will be difficult not to win. No opposition candidate stands a chance, unless the government makes the mistake of paying too much attention to them. For the time being, the most prominent rival is the recent Speaker of Parliament and close associate of the current leader Artur Bagdasarian, who the polls put in second place with 13.4% of votes. He has suddenly turned into a vociferously pro-western critic of the regime. An active participant in every recent campaign, the leader of the National Unity Party, Artashes Gegamian, is in fourth place with a rating of 4.7%. Ex-Prime Minister Vazgen Manukian, and the leader of the historical Dashnak Party Vice-Speaker of Parliament Vaan Ovannesian are well known in the country. But the biggest sensation was the decision of the first Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosian to run for the presidency. It has given not quite understandable hope to many opponents of the current government to defeat it. It is comparable to Mikhail Gorbachev running in the election race in Russia (he ran for the presidency in 1996 but with no success).

Ter-Petrosian is trying to prove the unprovable - that he was a more successful leader than Kocharian and Sarkisian. But his compatriots have not forgotten the first half of the 1990s. Moreover, Ter-Petrosian had to resign when under Western pressure he displayed readiness to make tangible concessions on Karabakh and relations with Turkey. Such conduct is not forgiven in Armenia. It will be difficult for him to prove his good attitude to Russia. It was he who shut down all the Russian schools in the country. Half of the voters will not support him under any circumstances, and he can hardly hope for more than third place and 7% of votes.

Could the consolidation of the opposition change the situation before the elections? It seems unlikely, primarily because none of the opposition leaders is accepted by the others. Ter-Petrosian, who is the loudest in claiming the leadership of the opposition, is also the most resented by the others. Sarkisian's opponents will not form a political alliance. The West is not likely to support an oppositionist, either. Moreover, now that international observers have, with a few reservations, declared the elections in neighboring Georgia quite legitimate, they will find it rather difficult to give the Armenian elections a lower rating for fear of looking ridiculous. Unlike in Georgia, the elections in Armenia are being held according to schedule; TV channels have not been shut down; opposition supporters are not behind bars or in exile, nor under criminal investigation. International monitoring will be very serious - almost 300 observers in 1,923 constituencies.

Russia would like to see Armenia a stable and dynamically developing country with a responsible government oriented towards constructive relations with it. Strategically, Sarkisian's nomination suits Moscow, which has given him support at the top level. It would be appropriate to take steps that would demonstrate our readiness to render Armenia substantial economic assistance. Regrettably, the pro-Russian forces in Armenia have been recently weakened by Moscow's decision to increase prices on gas exports. Considering our financial capabilities Russia should list Armenia as a priority recipient of its direct foreign aid. The main thing is not to overdo with the public demonstration of our support. The United States has been giving tangible assistance to Armenia for a long time. Our policymakers should consider the role Armenia could play in building relations with Georgia. For Armenia, which is under transport blockade, transit via Georgia is a lifeline. The more tense Russian-Georgian relations are, the more this lifeline is threatened.

Source: http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20080207/98622236.html
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Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:42 pm

Armenia Assaulted by Orange Agents

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Perhaps the empire just doesn’t get it. They need to re-examine their despicable, foolish and devious scheme to bring an orange scenario to an embattled, besieged Armenia. Under blockade by neighboring Turkey and Azerbaijan, Armenia continues to prosper despite some instances of corruption and economic isolation. Armenia is not fertile ground for any sort of orange scenario. Armenians are generally politically astute, pro-Russian and not easily swayed. They are also acutely aware of the fact that there is no future for them as vassals of the empire.

Armenian history is said to be 12,000 years old, and Mt. Ararat is the historic scene where Noah‘s Ark is said to have rested, a revered and treasured Armenian landmark. An archeologist’s dream come true, Armenia is a land of quaint churches and elaborately and meticulously carved khatchkars (Orthodox crosses). Constant and reliable, the centuries old friendship and alliance with Russia is unshakable. Most Armenians are aware of the fact that there probably would be no Armenia if not for Russia. No plots or schemes by the empire are going to change that reality.

The empire also wins no friends among Armenians for its consistent policy of Genocide denial. These policies go beyond the geo-political considerations given as an excuse, such as the US base in occupied Western Armenia, under control of Turkey and their alliances with Armenian enemies Turkey, Israel and Azerbaijan. And then there are the oil pipelines…constructed to bypass Armenia, a country in a strategic position between east and west, a crossroads as it were. As a result of the Armenian Genocide of 1894-1923, Armenians lost most of their homeland and over 1.5 million Armenians were murdered in the most horrendous and brutal fashion imaginable and unimaginable. To this day, no Nuremberg trials, no compensation or apology have occurred. Therefore, the memory of this tragedy in an ongoing issue of importance to Armenians.

In Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosian is generally despised for his corrupt ruinous policies while President of Armenia. He is also despised for proffering the notion that the recently liberated Armenian land of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) should be returned to Azerbaijan. Artsakh is now an independent country. The US regime is financially backing Ter-Petrosian and causing trouble in the background. Ter-Petrosian had the strange idea that he had a snowball’s chance in hell of winning an election to be President. Fat chance. Now he sends agitators to do his bidding, a la Soros funding, all the best agitators money and the empire can buy.

On Public Armenian Television, Armenian Parliament Speaker Tigran Torosian told the following of his knowledge of events: “These people decided who the winner is five minutes after the election. This is their characteristic feature. I learned about my alleged resignation from journalists. Levon Ter-Petrosian and his team-mates have exhausted the sources of lies which exceed all possible borders,” the speaker said. “They spread lies about all and offense all those who are not with them. They are filled with hatred and revenge,” he said. "OK, let's say all the grenades, pistols and automatics were planted by the regime, what do you have to say about all those hooligans with rods and sticks, beating the police, throwing bricks and stones, burning cars including busses and an ambulance, looting shops and supermarkets?"

According to various local reports, 8 persons were killed in orange demonstrations as the Army was called in to restore the peace. They also report that Opera and Republican Square are swarming with army troops and military police armed to the teeth with AK-47s, belt-fed battle rifles and there are dozens of light tanks in both locations. In addition to that, there are troops scattered in posts all over the city and on all the roads into the city. One hundred and thirty-one persons were reported injured in the March 1 disturbances. An on the scene observer sent this report: "Hi, this morning I walked from the Opera House until Mashtoz Underpass. Everything was just fine. Police closed the underpass toward city hall and near the French embassy where they made a mess. My friend 8:30 at night went everywhere with the exception of closed areas and found calm...all shops are open and traffic is normal, 8 people got killed and about 30 people got arrested for looting, all young guys."

Interior troops and police officers suffered bullet wounds and injuries in the March 1 clashes with rioters in Yerevan. On his visit to the hospital, President Kocharian was accompanied by police chief Hayk Harutyunian and other officials. Kocharian went from one hospital ward to another and spoke to officers and servicemen. Hospital chief, Arthur Petrosian, said they admitted 33 wounded officers and servicemen on March 1 until 8.30 pm and 27 others after 9 pm. He said 11 received bullet wounds, eight were hospitalized with heavy symptoms of gas poisoning, 2 received knife wounds. Seven servicemen went to their quarters after receiving first aid and 11 others were operated on. The chief of the hospital said their condition is satisfactory now.

At the end of February, prior to the breakout of violence, a vehicle was apprehended trying to enter the country loaded with weapons and ammunition. On March 1, 2008, Armenia’s President Robert Kocharian declared a 2-day state of emergency in compliance of article 55.6 of the RA (Republic of Armenia) Constitution (threat to state and population security). Fortunately, anti-terrorist, anti-orange scenario joint exercises were held by Armenia and Russia in anticipation of such occurrences. Meanwhile the empire is mouthing duplicitous, hypocritical words about “excessive use of force.”

Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Terry Davis said, “The state of emergency suspends the application of several rights and freedoms protected by the European Convention on Human Rights. Under Article 15 of the Convention the Armenian Government must inform me of the measures which it has taken and the reasons therefore. I expect that they will do so without any delay,” the Council of Europe press division reports. The recent presidential elections in Armenia saw Serzh Sarksyan, Kocharian’s number two man, elected as President of Armenia. The voting result was unmistakable: Serzh Sarkisyan - 862,369 (52,82%) votes, Levon Ter-Petrosian – 351,222 (21,5%).votes.

The February 19th presidential elections were not only characterized as `free and fair' by the CIS observers, but also received the positive assessments of the Western observation missions. The observation mission of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, which stands out in terms of its strict and meticulous attitude towards the electoral processes held in former USSR territories, clearly recorded that, `The presidential elections held in Armenia on February 19 were mostly in line with the commitments to the OSCE and the Council of Europe.” But this didn’t satisfy the orange agitators. Kocharian, throughout his term as President, has had a warm, brotherly relationship with his counterpart in Russia, Vladimir Putin. Like the outgoing president, Robert Kocharian, Mr. Sarkisyan is from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Both men were commanders in the war.

The newly elected Armenian President released this message to the people:

“Dear Compatriots, In consequence of the recent events, our people suffered great losses. There are casualties among policemen, who performed their duty, and among protesters, who fell under the influence of a group of people. Hundreds of civilians suffered from illegal acts of the radical opposition. Leaders of the co-called ‘movement’ made targets of their own supporters and policemen to suit their own ends. The initiators of disorders must answer for their deeds before the law, history and generations. With pain, I conceive that our compatriots fell victim to blind hatred of some individuals. I share your grief and wish you courage and strength to overcome this tragedy…”


As the cleanup crew mitigates the after effects of the recent lawlessness, one can only hope that the street sweepers will also sweep away the trash known as orange agent provocateurs and leave this proud, struggling nation in peace.

Source: http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/03-03-2008/104346-armeniaorange-0
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Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:45 pm

Levon Ter-Petrosian as a Tool of Armenia’s Destabilisation

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A long awaited happening, the interest to which had been fanned for months, took place in Armenia. On October 26, 2007 former president Levon Ter-Petrosian, currently an actual leader of Armenian National Movement (ANM), the former ruling party made a 90-minute speech in Theatre Square in Yerevan. Despite quite a few logical discrepancies, pseudo-historic excursions, dubious allusions and populist declarations he declared his intention to run for presidency in February of 2008. Many people attended the meeting, but those who are still sincerely fond of the former president were evidently in the minority. There were many people who were there out of sheer curiosity and those who are always displeased with any acting authority.

On the eve of the meeting radical opposition from the pro-Western movement “Alternative” provoked clashes with police, which were immediately taken advantage of for the stirring up the situation, given that usually the authorities do not prevent their opposition from holding meetings, asking them to observe the law and order. Some Armenian media characterise the tactics used by the ex-president and his supporters as the willingness “to aggravate the internal situation, forcing the authorities to make another mistake at any cost.” Unsanctioned meetings, office capture raids and blocking the bodies of state, stirring up of domestic disorder and interference in the work of election commissions can be disguised as “spontaneous” people’s protest. A dramatic rise of foodstuffs prices can stimulate the spreading of rumours about “inevitable” political and socio-economic upheavals. This tactic has been tested many times in the countries where the “colour” coups were organised; in Serbia, Georgia, Ukraine and Kirghizia. An attempt of a coup undertaken by the radical opposition in Yerevan in 2004 (organised, along with others by Aram Sarkisian and Stepan Demirchian, who were seen together with Ter-Petrosian October 26) met with hard but legally correct suppression. Another Western project in the republic was Artur Bagdasarian, who finally discredited himself during the May 2008 parliamentary elections. What are we to expect this time?

The tonality of many statements of “the soft intellectual” Ter-Petrosian proves that the new election campaign will be quite acute. Again, as in the late 1980s, when Ter-Petrosian was desperate about gaining power, the wedge of a slogan “Struggle, struggle till the end!” has been forced in. But the fact that the “mafia-type clan regime” is criticised by none other than the genuine architect of this regime, is amusing. Ter-Petrosian’s call for bringing order to the nation looks especially mocking, given that the destruction of Armenia’s economy and key elements of its infrastructure (except for, maybe, the young national army) during his stint was systemic and targeted. The rampage of arbitrariness was written off as inevitable aftermath of hostilities and Azerbaijanian blockade, which in particular were to deepen the “anti-Karabakhs” sentiment in the Armenian society. Using the Karabakh issue as a springing board for his leap to power, all his years as president Ter-Petrosian was obstinately pushing through his idea of making Karabakh prisoner of Azerbaijan (under the guise of “autonomy”), calling that “realism”. However the fact that head of the Armenian state promised the earth to Ankara, reassuring the nation that a day will come when Turkey would unlock the frontier while Karabakh Armenians were on the brink of a physical destruction, spoke about helplessness and incompetence rather than the pursuance of foreign policies that could meet the nation’s interests…

The 1996 presidential elections were openly falsified to give the victory to Ter-Petrosian; opposition was suppressed never stopping of using tanks. In 1997, when the set off between Ter-Petrosian on the one hand and other members of the political and military establishment on the other became evident, it was exactly the presidential side that resorted to a political combination aimed at the removal of the president’s opponents from the bodies of power. Attempts to provoke a political crisis by way of a series of acts of terror leading the way to a dismissal of prime-minister (Robert Kocharian) or the Minister of Interior and Security (Serge Sarkisian) met with the hard public opposition of Defence Minister Vazgen Sarkisian. And in 1999, shortly before his tragic death, speaking at parliament prime-minister Vazgen Sarkisian said to the nation that the energy crisis was not a result of the Karabakh war. To quote the documents of the interim parliamentary committee that investigated abuse of power at the time: “2058 railway cars with 115,000 tonnes of fuel oil shipped to the Razdan and Yerevan power stations in 1992 were not registered, as well as 1184 tank-cars at the Razdan power station (66,000 tonnes) and 874 tank-cars at the Yerevan power station (49,000 tonnes)…

There were many other facts of this kind. The real cause of the crisis were rampant theft, total irresponsibility and the lack of experience of running the state of the ANM activists. The situation in the republic was precisely characterised by the statement of the former interior Minister Vano Siradegian in one of his interviews when he called the then prime-minister Grant Bagratian, the follower of Yegor Gaidar, “a madman”, who was running the national economy. In turn, Siradegian was accused of organising a series of contract killings, and is now hiding somewhere outside of Armenia. At present, a decade and a half after that many were naïve enough to expect former president Ter-Petroisan to admit his mistakes, recalling the hardships Armenians suffered in the first half of the 1990s. And naturally, their expectations were futile. According to the BBC, he was not going to explain anything, as he did not think it necessary to give explanations in the early 1990s when the country was chilled to the bone without electricity and hot water for three years and when trees were cut in Yerevan for fuel. The former president did not change and did not learn his lessons. He confirmed that at the October 26 meeting saying: ”I am what I am, and that is the way I will stay.”

Robert Kocharian must be right thinking the Armenians do not wish to see a comeback of things of the past. During his stay in Megri, Kocharian made first evaluation of his predecessor’s intentions to return to power. He observed that Levon Ter-Petrosian was not a principal candidate for presidency, so he would hardly be in the focus of public attention. Recalling the sad results of the ANM parliamentary campaign he added:”Seeing that the national economy has been restored, ANM again decided the time came to rob. With their mouths watered, they decided to lean on the resource of the former president8. Certain groups in Armenia (a rather small country where informal relations and kinship play an important role) and influential players abroad (also a significant factor) are undoubtedly interested in the “advancement” of Ter-Petrosian. Confidence in self-righteousness of some of the ANM activists is organically combined with the anti-Russian rhetoric of a tonality close to that of their “senior brothers” in Georgia and Ukraine. It is curious to mention that Azeris also back Ter-Petrosian, doing that in a very unusual way. The most frenzied are yearning for blood, while others wage the information war more skilfully, stating in particular that the hypothetical arrival of Ter-Petrosian to power will not be to the advantage of Azerbaijan as the man will – allegedly – rapidly put an end to the Russian presence, maintaining good relations with Washington, thus weakening Baku’s positions in negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh. Such propaganda ambiguities are made largely with an eye to Armenian Internet users who scoop their information from Azeri web sites…

There is no one questioning the importance of combating corruption, protection of human rights and the rights of a citizen, unless that becomes a pretext for interference in internal affairs of another state, a total or partial liquidation of its sovereignty and the formation of a state power system managed from outside. The current Armenian leadership can be assessed differently. It has not yet solved many acute socio-economic problems. For example, the system of central heating in Yerevan that had “passed away” in the “glorious” days of Ter-Petrosian’s rash liberalism has not yet been restored. Karabakh, once a well-developed industrialized suburb of the Armenian capital now looks like a battlefield with its half-broken buildings with yawning broken windows that previously housed production workshops, robbed during the wild privatization campaign. However, one cannot fail but acknowledge positive changes Robert Kocharian spoke about: in 1997 Armenia’s budget amounted to a mere 300 million dollars, whereas in 2008 its revenues are expected to amount to $2.28 billion with expenditure amounting to $2.5 billion. The sizes of state budgets and GDP of Armenia and Georgia are about the same, even though Georgia is in a much more favourable situation, given bigger territory and population, an access to the sea, and its sizeable revenues thanks to implementing together with Azerbaijan and Turkey joint communications projects. Lavish contributions to the current Tbilisi leadership for its anti-Russian line should not be disregarded either (by the way, one of the accusations Ter-Petrosian’s backers lay on the authorities is Armenia’s isolation from these much touted projects). However, expansion of the Turkish capital into Georgia in mid-term perspective can have quite unexpected consequences affecting its ethnic and confessional situation and stability.

Meanwhile to meet its national interests Armenia started implementing its own projects. They include the construction of a natural gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia, potentially with a branch to Europe, and the project of establishing single energy space with Russia, Iran and Georgia, commissioning of a new automobile road crossing the Megri pass in the mountains, plans of installing the second unit of the Metsamor nuclear power station, a petroleum refinery and a railway line from Armenia to Iran. In the times of Ter-Petrosian who cherished the idea of turning Armenia into a “Middle East crossroads “ the like of Lebanon, and who recently stated that the border between Armenia and Iran is effectively non-existent due to the complicated surface geometry of the region, such plans could not be even dreamed of. Peace and stability are required for the implementation of such projects, but given the unyielding stance of Azerbaijan in the issue of Nagorno Karabakh and its rapid militarization, the republic of Nagorno Karabakh in its present-day borders is a significant element of maintaining the balance of forces in the region.

Ter-Petrosian’s chances of winning the election are as good as nil. According to serious observers, in reality he can only count on the support of not more than a fraction of several percents of the electorate. His only hope is provoking meetings in the streets, pumping up destructive emotions, provoking dissent in the armed forces and law enforcement agencies and what is more dangerous, fanning parochial sentiment (for example, using the scenario of Aiastan – Karabakh setoff), the distinguishing feature of Ter-Petrosian’s “leadership” (especially in the last period of his presidency). Such event would inevitably throw the country back to late 1980s, the period of general upheaval, revolution-like street meetings that pushed him up to the top of presidential power in 1991. Such upheavals spell no good whatever.

Significant effort will be made to dupe the republic‘s citizens. This is an organic component of a possible scenario of the internal political destabilisation. The potential role of the indefatigable minority charged ideologically and amply fed from outside in both organisational and financial terms. In the event anyone else but Ter-Petrosian win the elections Western observers could come up with a bulletproof statement acknowledging their results as illegitimate. For greater persuasiveness some exit-pool results can be presented that would allegedly unequivocally support the “right” candidate. The outer legitimisation of the capture of political authority usually goes hand in hand with a strong information and propaganda pressure, including diplomatic channels (statements of official representatives of the U.S. State Department, PACE and OSCE foreign observers). What will be important at that stage will be the final result, hectic work to fit Armenia into the pro-Western “sanitary cordon” along the borders of Russia and Iran, whereas the actual transparency of the elections and presence or absence of falsifications will have no meaning whatsoever?

The Russian presence in the Transcaucasia in the wake of the hasty and ill thought-out withdrawal of troops from Georgia as well as the forced Azerbaijan’s western drift (the summit of “the Caspian group of Five” would hardly reverse this process) is safeguarded, first and foremost, by union relations with Armenia and mutually advantageous cooperation with Iran (which still is to take its final shape). Implementation of major economic projects with the Russian participation in this region is hardly feasible due to the absence of Russia’s firm military and political positions. So Moscow is interested in the maintenance of stability in Armenia, continuity of its policies after the presidential elections and the continued presence in power of forces oriented toward consolidation of union relations with Russia. It is in Russia’s interests to back Armenia in this complicated period, promoting the smooth-going inner political processes in that country.

Moscow’s clear and unambiguous position in the eventuality of boosted attempts to shake Armenian situation during the pre-election period would by and large be decisive for ensuring stability both in that republic and in the Caucasus.

Source: http://en.fondsk.ru/article.php?id=1042
Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

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Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:47 pm

Լևոն Տեր-Պետրոսյանը ծախված մարդ է - և վտանգավոր - այտ առումով որ ինքն իրեն համոզել է (կամ էլ նրան մի կերպ համոզել են) որ արանց Արցախի և Հայոց ցեղասպանության հարցերով (կամ էլ այս հարցերը վերջնականորեն լուծելով) Հայաստանը կարողանալու է Թուրքերի և Ազերիների հետ գոյակցել և բարգավաճվել: Նաև Լևոնը և նրա շուրջինները համոզվաձ են որ Հայաստանը ավելի ապահով կլինի Ռուսերից հերու և Ամերիկացիներին ու Եվրոպացիներին մոտ: Այնուամենայնիվ, նրա իշխանության վերադարնալու ցանկության մեչ ներառյալ է ուրիշ կարևոր և հիմնական քաղաքական և տնտեսական գործոններ: Առաջիններից մեկը վրեժառության ցանկությունն է, իհարկե նրանց վրա որոնք Լևոնին և նրա լակոտներին կարավարությունից դուրս էին հանել: Եւ իհարկե Լևոնը ուզում է նրա ավազակներով երկրի արդեն սահմանափակ հարստությունների գլուխը բարձրանալ, այդ հարստություններին որը Սերժ Սարգսյանի և նրա շրջապատի ձեռքն է այսոր: Այստեղ պէդք է նաև նշել, երբ Լևոնին երկրի իշխանությունից տապալեցին շատ հավանական որ արեվմտյան քաջալերանքով նա երկրի մեչ մնաց որպեսզի սպասե «առիթ» վերադարնալու համար: Ինչպես որ տեսնում ես, Լևոն Տեր-Պետրոսյանի շարժումը կապ չունի բացարձակապես «արդարության» կամ «ազադ ընտրությունների» հետ, պարզապես նա արեվմտյան երկրաքաղաքականությանն է ծառայում և այդ ընթացքում փորցում է օգտվել նրա անձնական հաշիվներով:
Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

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Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:52 pm

Որպես քաղաքագետ կամ պետական գործիչ և մտավորական Լևոն Տեր-Պետրոսյանը սկիզբում ազնիվ եր երևում: Նա շատ ուսյալ եր և գրավիչ հրապարակախոս: Նաև, զկիսբում, Ռուսաստանին եր ծառայում: Սակայն, նախագահկան գահին նստելուց քիչ հետո, նրա ազնիվ քաղաքական առաքելությունը սկսեց աստիճանաբար փոխվել: Բացի այդ, նրա շուրջը հավաքվեցին ոճրագործներ և ավազակներ: Չնայած որ Արցախի շարժումով եր Լևոնը սկիզբ առնել և ճանաչվել, նա իննսունական թվերի սկիզբը սկսեց աշխատել Արցախի շարժման դեմ: Բացի այդ, սկսեց Հայոց ցեղասպանության ճանաչման դեմ աշխատել: Դեռ ավելին, որպեսզի ներքին քաղաքական դիմադրություն կամ հակադրություն չունենա, Լևոնը Դաշնակցությունը (ՀՅԴ) երկրից վտարեց 1994-ին: Եւ հիշենք որ 1996-ին էլ Վազգեն Մանուկյանից բացահայտորեն խլեց նախագահկան ընտրությունը և բողոքարարների վրա զրահամեքենաներ ուղարկեց:

Բազմաթիվ քաղաքական վերլուծումների համաձայն, Լևոնը Արցախը և Հայոց ցեղասպանությունը լքելով փորցում եր (դեր փորցում է) Ազերիների հետ և Թուրքերի հետ «լեզու» գտնել, մտածելով որ Հայաստանը առաջ չգնալու մինչեվ որ Թուրքերի և Ազերիների հետ խաղաղություն և հաշտություն չլինի: Հարկավոր է նայև ասել որ Լևոնը փորձեց լուրջորեն արեվմտյան ուժերի մոտենալ Հայաստանը հերացնելով Ռուսաստանից (դեր փորցում է): Համենայն դեպս, այս Լևոնի գորձաց մեխքերի համար 1998-ին երկրի իշխանությունը և ժողովուրդը նրան տապալեցին: Իհարկե, բնականաբար, Լևոնի մեկնումից հետո Արցախցիք սկսեցին երկրում տիրել: Այսոր, Լևոնը ուզում է վերադարնա, վերադարնա նրա հին ձախողական և վտանգավոր երկրաքաղաքական ծրագիրներով, վերադարնա նրա հին ավազակներով և արյունախում ընկերներով... Եւ փորցում է այսօր «շահագործել» և «օգտագործել» միամիտ ժողովուրդի տնտեսական ցավերը և քաղաքական հիասթափությունները ներկա իշխանության դեմ:
Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

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Postby Hopar on Sat Mar 08, 2008 11:10 pm

Armenian wrote:Armenians, wake up!


I am with you Armenian. We need to be proactive and plus to teach our Nation anatomy of this type things and more importantly, who is behind this rebellion. We need to expose them and show our Nation geopolitical aims and so on...


Hopar

hopar@armenianaryans.com
Կեցցե՛ Արորդիների Հայրենիք Հայաստանը

Long Live Armenia!
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Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 11:12 pm

Notice how this piece by "Radio Liberty" attempts to tie the "Karabagh Oligarchs" to "closed borders"... They are clearly using the peoples dissatisfaction against the Armenian state. This is all part of the plan to place a wedge between Armenia and Artsakh. Sadly, we have significant numbers of low-lives amongst us that happily and proudly go along with this agenda. What a sad-sad situation we are in... What did that pornik Levon and his fucked up followers do to us? I ask you all to please refrain from debating this topic with Levon supporters. These people are mentally retarded demons and low-class street porniks. Fuck them all - literally, physically and metaphorically. These people have damaged Armenia and they have pushed many of us reluctantly into the Serzh Sargsyan camp.

Armenian

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Armenia: Crisis Spotlights 'Karabakh Clan'

Image

By Brian Whitmore

Sarkisian, Serzh; "Yes I am Karabakhian, but I am Armenian first" As Armenia's first post-Soviet president in the 1990s, Levon Ter-Petrossian brought in top officials from Nagorno-Karabakh to serve in his government. Today, as an opposition leader, Ter-Petrossian is the most outspoken critic of what he and his allies call the "Karabakh clan," lambasting his former proteges for raiding the country's treasury, strangling the economy, and stifling democracy.

The main targets of the broadside have been outgoing President Robert Kocharian and his preferred successor, Serzh Sarkisian, the current prime minister who defeated Ter-Petrossian in Armenia's February 19 presidential election. Both Kocharian and Sarkisian hail from Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-controlled and populated enclave within Azerbaijan over which Baku and Yerevan fought a war in 1988-94. Speaking on the campaign trail in February, Ter-Petrossian accused Kocharian and Sarkisian of bringing their Karabakh allies to Armenia and handing them the crown xxxels of the economy.

"Because of these two persons, 15,000 people have moved from Karabakh to Armenia, mainly Yerevan, in the past 10 years," Ter-Petrossian said. "Each of them has been given a position. As if that wasn't enough, now the business sphere is also being given to them." Sarkisian's pat response to the criticism has been to say: "Yes I am Karabakhian, but I am Armenian first." Armenia's controversial election has led to allegations of fraud, government resignations, violent street protests, a deadly police crackdown, and a state of emergency. It has also exposed a deep rift in society between those born in Armenia proper and those from Nagorno-Karabakh who have resettled in the country.

Critics allege that Karabakh Armenians have benefited from government favoritism and that Kocharian and Sarkisian have dragged their feet on formally ending the conflict to advance their cronies' business interests. Yerevan-based political analyst Stepan Grigorian, who is sympathetic to Ter-Petrossian and the opposition, says having a president from Nagorno-Karabakh "who governs Armenia very badly" has fueled resentment. "Certain negative feelings exist," Grigorian says. "They do not extend to ordinary people of Karabakh, but refer to those people who came to Armenia from there. Robert Kocharian brought many people with him, and appointed them to high positions. This created more caution. So yes, certain tension exists, of course."

The Karabakh Oligarchs

Armenia had control of Karabakh when a cease-fire was reached in 1994. But the victory came with a price, as Armenia's borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey have remained sealed. Ter-Petrossian, who became Armenia's first post-independence president in 1991, brought Sarkisian -- who was a senior military official in Nagorno-Karabakh -- to Yerevan in 1993 to serve as defense minister. In 1998, he named Kocharian, who served as chairman of Nagorno-Karabakh's State Defense Committee and later as president, Armenia's prime minister.

It was a decision Ter-Petrossian soon regretted. He proposed a compromise solution to Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh that Kocharian staunchly opposed. Ter-Petrossian was forced to resign over the issue in February 1998 and Kocharian won a special election to succeed him. Under Kocharian, Sarkisian served in a number of posts including defense minister, interior minister, national-security minister, presidential chief of staff, and most recently, prime minister.

Aram Abramian, editor in chief of the Yerevan-based daily newspaper "Aravot" and who has roots in Nagorno-Karabakh, says Kocharian and Sarkisian brought in associates from the territory who took over state posts and dominated the business elite. "There are 20, 30 families -- oligarchs -- people who, thanks to the opportunities that are provided to them by the authorities, became rich, and have wide possibilities of avoiding taxes and custom fees," Abramian says, adding that well-connected moguls were able to gain "monopolies" over fuel, sugar, and other commodities.

"Others, who are less powerful, do not have this right," Abramian adds. "Not all of these people are from Karabakh. It does not matter where they come from -- the most important thing is for them to serve the authorities." Among those identified by analysts as part of the Karabakh clan are Kocharian's son, Sedrak, who reportedly controls mobile-phone imports; Barsegh Beglarian, who dominates the gas-station market; Mika Bagdasarov, who controls oil imports and heads the national airline; and Karen Karapetian, head of the Armrusgazard gas company, a joint venture with Russia's Gazprom.

Closed Borders

Abramian and other analysts say these oligarchs benefit from the lack of a final resolution to the Karabakh conflict and the closed borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan. "This is one of the reasons why these issues are not being solved, because to have open borders with Europe, Asia, and so on -- in [that] case, the flows of goods, in either direction, will be wider, and it will be more difficult to control them," Abramian says. "Now, however, when one narrow flow comes through Georgia and another, even narrower, comes via Iran, controlling these flows of goods is much easier."

Observers say such arrangements also stifle local production, hinder small business development, and ultimately harm the country's economy. And that is a major reason why one of Ter-Petrossian's main bases of support is among small and mid-level entrepreneurs. "This kind of economy -- when the high-ranking officials are importing goods -- leads to these same officials not being interested in promoting local production," Grigorian says. "And, because of this, it is in very difficult shape now. So during the elections, mid-size and big business wholly supported Ter-Petrossian."

There are slight cultural differences between native-born Armenians and those from Nagorno-Karabakh, according to analysts. Abramian says Karabakhians are more "favorably oriented toward Russia," are more likely to speak the Russian language, and are less religious than Armenians, for example. He adds, however, that it is the dominance of Kocharian and Sarkisian's allies that has fueled resentment against people from Nagorno-Karabakh, few of whom have benefited from the largesse.

"Armenian people, our compatriots who live in Karabakh -- or, like me, have roots there -- have nothing to do with this," Abramian says. "They are Armenians just like everybody else. However, two people who have kept power throughout a decade -- and plan to do so for many more decades -- they indeed provoked certain negative attitude within the Armenian population. For it was not only them, but their relatives, acquaintances -- tens, hundreds of them -- arrived here, and occupied high-ranking positions and had successful business careers. This triggers a natural reaction."

Source: http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2008/03/A55F54E6-4BF5-4CE7-94E0-C01F28755717.html
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Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 11:17 pm

Russia hopes for "peaceful settlement" of violence in Armenia

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Russia said Monday it hoped for a 'peaceful settlement' in Armenia after violent clashes between police and protestors that left eight dead. The Foreign Ministry statement expressing 'heartfelt condolences' was the first comment from Moscow on the 14-days of mass unrest in the post-Soviet state that is Russia's closest ally in the Caucasus. President Vladimir Putin was the first foreign leader to congratulate Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian - seen as the establishment and Moscow-friendly candidate - for his outright victory in the first round of presidential elections. Putin described Sarkisian's win as 'contributing to the stability in the Caucasus.'

Days of thousands-strong opposition protest calling the February 19 vote rigged culminated in overnight clashes with security forces that left eight people, including one policeman, dead on Sunday. Armoured vehicles and troops with assault rifles were patrolling the capital Yerevan after outgoing President Robert Kocharian declared a 20-day state of emergency, in the wake of the violence. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Monday it 'hoped that the measures taken by the Armenian leaders will bring about the settlement of the domestic political situation ... ensuring the security of the Armenian people and the country's stable development.' The Russian embassy in Yerevan said Russian citizens were among those injured on the weekend, news agency Interfax reported. Local media reported dozens of injured opposition supporters of failed presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian, while the police said 33 of its members were hurt. The small Caucasus state of 3.2 million has emerged as a strategically important region, lying along gas routes from the energy-rich Caspian Sea region to Europe.

The United States also has an interest in competing with Russian influence in the country because of Armenia's proximity to Iran and the presence of a Russian military base. Western powers fear instability in the region could disrupt gas routes and further undermine a fragile security situation with Armenia's neighbours. Landlocked Armenia faces blockades along two of those borders with Azerbaijan over a protracted territorial dispute and with Turkey, which has been angered by Yerevan's lobbying for international recognition of the killing of Armenians by the Turkish Ottoman Empire as a genocide. Sarkisian is expected to keep the line set by his political mentor incumbent Kocharian during his decade at the helm, particularly strong ties with Russia, to offset its difficult relations in the region. Kocharian on Monday congratulated Kremlin favourite Dmitry Medvedev on his landslide victory in Russian presidential elections. 'Armenia highly appreciates partnership relations of the two countries and their strategic cooperation in all directions,' Kocharian was quoted by Interfax as saying.

The weekend violence was the worst in Armenia's post-Soviet history, causing opposition leader Ter-Petrosian to call for a 20-day halt to demonstrations, abiding by the rules of the emergency law. But he promised to renew protest at the end of the interval. Ter-Petrosian refuses to accept official results which showed him with 21.43 per cent of the vote, far behind Sarkisian who won just over the 50-per-cent hurdle needed to avoid a run-off with the second-place finisher. The opposition has lodged an appeal with the Constitutional Court to invalidate the results, complaining of mass voting violations, including the beating and kidnapping of its supporters at the polls. Meanwhile, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's vote-monitoring arm declared the elections mostly in adherence with international standards.

Source: http://news.monstersandcritics.com/europe/news/article_1393742.php/Russia_hopes_for_&quotpeaceful_settlement&quot_of_violence_in_Armenia
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Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 11:19 pm

Although it does not have any oil or gas reserves, Armenia today is playing an integral part within the region's "Great Game." With Moscow pressing the West with its virtual monopoly of Central Asian gas and oil distribution networks, western projects such as the Nabucco and the Baku-Ceyhan are gaining great strategic importance. So, why was did the West not jump on the Levon Ter-Petrosian bandwagon? Most probably this was because the West knew Levon could not succeed against the well organized authorities in Yerevan and the resulting chaos, if any, could potentially undermine Armenia's political stability. And in the eyes of many political analysts, an unstable Armenia could mean resumption of war in the Caucasus - a risk no one today is willing to take. These are some of the geostrategic factors that shape regional politics. These are the factors that the "people" need to be educated about.

Armenian

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

Troubling news from the Caucasus

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Bloodshed in Armenia worries both Russia and the West

THE day after Dmitry Medvedev's presidential victory, Moscow's leading papers turned their attention away from the long-predicted result to the unexpected bloodshed in Armenia. At least eight people were killed in clashes between security forces and opposition supporters protesting against alleged fraud in the country's presidential elections. “An election won with some blood”, ran the headline in Kommersant, a leading business daily. Small, complicated and with names that are hard to spell, Armenia has long been out of the mainstream of world news. Yet what happens in this country has implications not only for the whole of the Caucasus, a region vital for Europe's energy security, but also for Russia. The story of rigged elections, corrupt officials and dead protesters is particularly unnerving for Russia, a country that prides itself on its stability. On February 19th Armenia held presidential elections. The incumbent prime minister, Serzh Sarkisian, assisted by a biased media and occasional stuffing of the ballot boxes, won 53% of the vote. If the election had been conducted fairly, there is a good chance he would have faced a second round and a possible defeat. But Mr Sarkisian had the backing of Robert Kocharian, the current president, which swung the result. (Mr Kocharian, it is said, fancies the job of prime minister—not unlike his Russian counterpart.)

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International observers did not cover themselves in glory. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe pointed out many shortcomings, yet said in an initial statement that the ballot was “mostly in line with the country's international commitments”. The opposition, led by Levon Ter-Petrosian, an academic and Armenia's first president, demanded a re-run of the election. His supporters took to the streets. Mr Ter-Petrosian is no democratic angel. In 1996 he is widely believed to have rigged the presidential election in his favour. Still, those who voted for him this time did so largely in protest against the local mafia, corruption and unemployment now associated with Mr Kocharian. For 11 days the government put up with the peaceful protest. But on March 1st, the police moved in on the pretext that protesters were carrying firearms, which some observers say were planted. Mr Ter-Petrosian was placed under de facto house arrest and the crowd was dispersed. Predictably it regrouped and gathered in front of the French embassy in Yerevan. Mr Kocharian sent in the army, and the area was soon lit up with tracer fire. Eight people were killed, cars were torched and shops were looted. Many protesters were armed with stones and metal poles. But the responsibility ultimately lies with the government which allowed the situation to deteriorate into chaos. The state of emergency now imposed by Mr Kocharian for 20 days, including a media blackout and the arrest of opposition figures, may temporarily suppress the protests, but it is unlikely to resolve the underlying problems. These include corruption, low living standards and an economic blockade by Azerbaijan and Turkey because of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian-populated enclave inside Azerbaijan that was conquered by Armenia in 1994. This conflict has long been frozen. But three days after the violence in Yerevan, Armenian and Azerbaijani forces were involved in their worst firefight in a decade. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan accuse each other of starting the skirmish, which caused a disputed number of deaths on both sides.

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Claiming that Kosovo's declaration of independence last month has emboldened Armenian separatists, Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliev, has given warning that he is buying weapons to retake Nagorno-Karabakh by force, if necessary. A renewed war could destabilise the region and jeopardise a strategic oil pipeline to Turkey that runs only 15 kilometres (ten miles) from the ceasefire line. Nagorno-Karabakh remains an open sore. Mr Ter-Petrosian's downfall in 1998 was mainly caused by his hints of a more flexible approach to a peace settlement with Azerbaijan. Both Mr Kocharian and Mr Sarkisian are from Nagorno-Karabakh and fought in the war, but they have done little to move towards peace. In a recent commentary in the Washington Post, Mr Ter-Petrosian dismissed the notion that only hardliners from Nagorno-Karabakh can solve the conflict. Indeed, he argues that Mr Sarkisian, whose presidency is now marred by bloodshed and incompetence, will be even less able to govern. Russia and the West have an interest in Armenia's stability, and they need to work to maintain it. This could be Mr Medvedev's first foreign test as president.

Source: http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10809006
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Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 11:21 pm

Putin Backs Armenian Crackdown

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Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced support Thursday for the Armenian government's crackdown on the opposition that comes in the wake of a disputed presidential election. Putin's backing contrasted with calls by the United States and others in the West for Armenia's president to lift a state of emergency imposed in the wake of weekend clashes between protesters and security officials that left eight people dead and more than 100 injured. Speaking by telephone with outgoing Armenian President Robert Kocharian, Putin "expressed certainty that the efforts made by the Armenian leadership will serve to provide for constitutional order," the Kremlin said. The bloodshed was the worst political crisis to hit this strategically located, volatile former Soviet land in nearly a decade. Armenia has close ties with Russia, which maintains a military base in the Caucasus Mountain nation. The government crackdown came after round-the-clock protests by opposition supporters alleging fraud in the Feb. 19 election. Official results put the opposition candidate, Levon Ter-Petrosian, a distant second to Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian, Kocharian's favored successor. Kocharian declared the 20-day state of emergency Saturday night, following a day of clashes that erupted when police broke up an opposition tent camp, then used tear gas and fired in the air to disperse thousands of demonstrators. More than 100 people were detained during the protests and in their aftermath and several have been formally arrested, including top allies of Ter-Petrosian.

Source: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gatwfipJJq6jsETQmSd_bPLzRKywD8V89RJ80
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Postby Armenian on Sat Mar 08, 2008 11:29 pm

The following individuals are the main ringleaders of bloody coup d'etat attempt in Yerevan. After what they did, at the very least, these bastards have to be executed, or jailed for life, for their crimes against the Armenian state. These types of filthy criminals are a cancer in the nation, they have to be eliminated now before they are able to pose a serious security risk to the republic. F*** every single supporter of these filthy demons. Spill their blood...

Levon Petrosian

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Alexander Arzumanian

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Aram Sargsyan

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Khachatur Sukiasian

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Nikol Pashinian

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Stepan Demirchian

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Manvel Grigoryan

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Levon Ter-Petrosian Must Be Punished!

Postby Hopar on Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:34 pm

These types of filthy criminals are a cancer in the nation, they have to be eliminated now before they are able to pose a serious security risk to the republic. F*** every single supporter of these filthy demons. Spill their blood...


Armenian, I appropriate if you list all 50 criminal people and we can recognize them for future.

Thank you for your posts!

Hopar

hopar@armeniantheory.com[/quote]
Կեցցե՛ Արորդիների Հայրենիք Հայաստանը

Long Live Armenia!
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