“Haykakan Zhamanak” reports that police officers across Yerevan have been visiting the homes of opposition activists and warning them against attending a planned March 1 opposition rally that will mark the first anniversary of Armenia’s deadly post-election unrest. The paper says the officers write down the names of their family members in order to intimidate the activists.
“Hraparak” notes that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan failed to sign a framework peace agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh at their meeting in Zurich on Wednesday. “What is more, [Foreign] Minister [Eduard] Nalbandian said that the framework agreement has yet to be worked out. That means the Zurich meeting did not produce any concrete results.”
“The most substantive result of this meeting is the meeting itself,” scoffs “Kapital.”
Like other opposition publications, “Zhamanak” sees a direct link between the Zurich talks and the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s failure to impose sanctions on Armenia. “They expect concessions from Serzh [Sarkisian] on the Karabakh issue within a defined period of time and as part of a very concrete process,” claims the paper. It says failure to make concessions would not save Sarkisian from PACE sanctions during the assembly’s April session.
“The authorities must stop begging for legitimacy in foreign capitals because the only source of that legitimacy is the people of Armenia,” continues “Zhamanak.” “And the latter will consider Serzh responsible for the March 1 slaughter as long as there is at least one unjustly imprisoned person. The opposition also has to draw conclusions. Not with words but actions.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” wonders why opposition businessman Khachatur Sukiasian’s Bjni mineral plant, which was put up for sale by tax authorities, has still not attracted any interest from local and foreign firms. The pro-government paper this may be attributable to recent threats by Sukiasian’s father Albert to “take out the eyes” of anyone who has “set his sights on our assets.”
(Tigran Avetisian)
“Hraparak” notes that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan failed to sign a framework peace agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh at their meeting in Zurich on Wednesday. “What is more, [Foreign] Minister [Eduard] Nalbandian said that the framework agreement has yet to be worked out. That means the Zurich meeting did not produce any concrete results.”
“The most substantive result of this meeting is the meeting itself,” scoffs “Kapital.”
Like other opposition publications, “Zhamanak” sees a direct link between the Zurich talks and the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s failure to impose sanctions on Armenia. “They expect concessions from Serzh [Sarkisian] on the Karabakh issue within a defined period of time and as part of a very concrete process,” claims the paper. It says failure to make concessions would not save Sarkisian from PACE sanctions during the assembly’s April session.
“The authorities must stop begging for legitimacy in foreign capitals because the only source of that legitimacy is the people of Armenia,” continues “Zhamanak.” “And the latter will consider Serzh responsible for the March 1 slaughter as long as there is at least one unjustly imprisoned person. The opposition also has to draw conclusions. Not with words but actions.”
“Hayots Ashkhar” wonders why opposition businessman Khachatur Sukiasian’s Bjni mineral plant, which was put up for sale by tax authorities, has still not attracted any interest from local and foreign firms. The pro-government paper this may be attributable to recent threats by Sukiasian’s father Albert to “take out the eyes” of anyone who has “set his sights on our assets.”
(Tigran Avetisian)