Մատչելիության հղումներ

Press Review


On Wednesday, Armenian papers carry the headline “ Azerbaijan recognizes Karabakh’s right to self determination”. In fact this headline is borrowed from a communiqué by the Armenian Foreign Ministry, which announces that on September 19, the Council of Europe meeting of ministerial delegates passed a unanimous resolution recognizing the right of self determination as a principle of international law equal to the preservation of territorial integrity of states. Azerbaijan also participated in this vote. “Azg” daily quotes Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian on the subject, who told the paper: “ This is really unprecedented and we are totally satisfied with this decision.”

“Aravot” however, does not see a an overall positive diplomatic and political trend. It points out that in contrast to the positive decision by the Council of Europe, the European Union and a number of regional countries deplored local elections in Nagorno Karabakh. The paper goes on to say that President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to Armenia could be counter-productive for Armenia’s position vis-à-vis the West, because it endangers the principle of complementarity in Armenia’s foreign policy. The underlying reason for such deviations in foreign policy, is Kocharian’s desire to fortify his position against the opposition, according to opinions expressed in the paper.

“Aravot” also takes up the issue of a suspicious death (or murder) in a famous Yerevan café. It says that the Pope visited the oldest Christian country where the biblical commandment; “Do Not Kill” is not respected so much. The editor alleges that a cover-up is underway in this case and the result is the spread of fear that anything can happen to anyone, at any time. Both “Aravot” and “Haykakan Zhamanak” express outright amazement that none of the approximately two hundred people present in “Aragast’ café dares to say openly that in early hours of Tuesday a person was killed because of physical assault by presidential bodyguards.

“Yerkir” daily, an official organ of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) also demands a close follow-up of this case and punishment of those responsible.

“Haykakan Zhamanak” also reminds its readers that as Armenia marks the tenth anniversary of its independence and the 1700th anniversary of Christianity, it can also mark the fifth anniversary of the sad events in September 1996 when the authorities twisted the results of presidential elections and tried to hold on to power at any cost, and others stormed the parliament and tried to bring about a coup. Both were equally guilty and set the stage for a lack of legitimacy in the country.

(Vache Sarkisian)
XS
SM
MD
LG