“Hayots Ashkhar” continues to analyze last week’s press conference in Yerevan of the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights Thomas Hammarberg, who faulted the ongoing investigation into Armenia’s deadly post-election clashes.
“If we take a calm view on it, there is no reason for despair. What did the commissioner not like? First of all, he did not like the actions of law-enforcers. But even in the most civilized countries police are always ready to use disproportionate force,” the pro-establishment daily underscores.
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” draws a scenario in which [President] Serzh Sarkisian has succumbed to heavy pressures to make pledges and sign a document [on Karabakh] but in reality is not going to cede any lands to Azerbaijan. The paper, however, disproves such an assumption as it suggests Sarkisian’s actions prove he wants to press ahead with the plans.
“What should he [Sarkisian] have done in that case? He should have tried to show to the world that while he is genuinely interested in making good on his promises, he can’t do that in view of the actions of protests that have started in the country and, therefore, he can’t but reckon with the public opinion. But if it were so, it wouldn’t be the ‘red-beret’ police stealing the tents of Karabakh war veterans who were on hunger strike, but on the contrary ‘responsible’ TV companies would be preparing ‘bold’ reportages about the protest at Yerablur… If the expert in such publicity stunts does not make this step, it means only one thing – he indeed intends to give up the liberated lands without any serious compensation.”
“Zhamanak-Yerevan” interviews political analyst Arman Grigorian, who says: “The exchange of lands for a Karabakh status has always been a daunted task to tackle. The ‘circus’ over the phased and package solutions [for the Karabakh conflict] 10 years ago was all about that. And now they come and tell us – don’t worry, you will get security guarantees in exchange for lands.”
“Azg” presents excerpts from Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan’s recent interview to Turkish TV. To the question: if Azerbaijan’s negotiations with Armenia prove fruitless, how will that affect the Turkish-Armenian dialogue? Babacan answers: “We do not even consider negative scenarios on the agenda of these meetings. We always make efforts for a positive prospect.”
According to the Armenian paper, Babacan also emphasized that the Turkey-Armenia rapprochement will also have a positive impact on the Azerbaijani-Armenian relations: “These are not unlinked issues. We want this rapprochement and relations to make headway… Based on the signals we have received so far, I can say the work we’ve done is quite positive.”
“Haykakan Zhamanak” alleges a ‘racist approach’ of the European Union to Armenia.
The radical opposition daily’s editorial suggest: “One of the latest agreements signed between the leaderships of Armenia and the European Union is a direct proof that the EU has a racist approach to Armenia. Under the agreement, the EU will send to Armenia groups of advisers who will help Armenian officials make correct decisions. To make the dispatch of advisors belonging to the higher race possible it was needed to ensure that authorities in Armenia have no organic link with the public. Without enjoying popular support inside the country, the authorities have to rely on external forces.”
“Aravot” reports that on Wednesday a Karen Harutiunian turned himself in to police, admitting that he was the one who together with three other people attacked and beat Edik Baghdasarian, the head of the Armenian Association of Investigative Journalists. The ‘hero’, however, refused to give testimony, according to the paper.
(Aghasi Yenokian)
“If we take a calm view on it, there is no reason for despair. What did the commissioner not like? First of all, he did not like the actions of law-enforcers. But even in the most civilized countries police are always ready to use disproportionate force,” the pro-establishment daily underscores.
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” draws a scenario in which [President] Serzh Sarkisian has succumbed to heavy pressures to make pledges and sign a document [on Karabakh] but in reality is not going to cede any lands to Azerbaijan. The paper, however, disproves such an assumption as it suggests Sarkisian’s actions prove he wants to press ahead with the plans.
“What should he [Sarkisian] have done in that case? He should have tried to show to the world that while he is genuinely interested in making good on his promises, he can’t do that in view of the actions of protests that have started in the country and, therefore, he can’t but reckon with the public opinion. But if it were so, it wouldn’t be the ‘red-beret’ police stealing the tents of Karabakh war veterans who were on hunger strike, but on the contrary ‘responsible’ TV companies would be preparing ‘bold’ reportages about the protest at Yerablur… If the expert in such publicity stunts does not make this step, it means only one thing – he indeed intends to give up the liberated lands without any serious compensation.”
“Zhamanak-Yerevan” interviews political analyst Arman Grigorian, who says: “The exchange of lands for a Karabakh status has always been a daunted task to tackle. The ‘circus’ over the phased and package solutions [for the Karabakh conflict] 10 years ago was all about that. And now they come and tell us – don’t worry, you will get security guarantees in exchange for lands.”
“Azg” presents excerpts from Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan’s recent interview to Turkish TV. To the question: if Azerbaijan’s negotiations with Armenia prove fruitless, how will that affect the Turkish-Armenian dialogue? Babacan answers: “We do not even consider negative scenarios on the agenda of these meetings. We always make efforts for a positive prospect.”
According to the Armenian paper, Babacan also emphasized that the Turkey-Armenia rapprochement will also have a positive impact on the Azerbaijani-Armenian relations: “These are not unlinked issues. We want this rapprochement and relations to make headway… Based on the signals we have received so far, I can say the work we’ve done is quite positive.”
“Haykakan Zhamanak” alleges a ‘racist approach’ of the European Union to Armenia.
The radical opposition daily’s editorial suggest: “One of the latest agreements signed between the leaderships of Armenia and the European Union is a direct proof that the EU has a racist approach to Armenia. Under the agreement, the EU will send to Armenia groups of advisers who will help Armenian officials make correct decisions. To make the dispatch of advisors belonging to the higher race possible it was needed to ensure that authorities in Armenia have no organic link with the public. Without enjoying popular support inside the country, the authorities have to rely on external forces.”
“Aravot” reports that on Wednesday a Karen Harutiunian turned himself in to police, admitting that he was the one who together with three other people attacked and beat Edik Baghdasarian, the head of the Armenian Association of Investigative Journalists. The ‘hero’, however, refused to give testimony, according to the paper.
(Aghasi Yenokian)