In an interview with “Kapital,” Dashnaktsutyun leader Vahan Hovannisian rounds on Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian for attacking political forces (presumably including Dashnaktsutyun) which he said are opposed to an unconditional normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations. Hovannisian also dismisses Sarkisian’s remark that Armenia’s foreign policy must not be “anti-Turkish.” “One must not see benefits in unfounded concessions out of false pragmatism,” he says.
Artur Aghabekian, another Dashnaktsutyun parliament, tells “Aravot” that he does not want to serve as chairman of the Armenian parliament’s committee on defense and security anymore despite the party’s decision to retain control of that position. “I have talked about that with my friends, [Dashnaktsutyun] bureau comrades, the leader of our faction and we arrived at the conclusion that I am making the right decision,” says Aghabekian.
Masis Mayilian, a former senior Nagorno-Karabakh official, tells “Hayots Ashkhar” that there are issues which Armenia must not discuss in the ongoing peace talks with Azerbaijan on behalf of the Karabakh Armenians. He says that would force Azerbaijan and international mediators to directly negotiate with the Karabakh government. “Armenia and Karabakh are two different states and their approaches and perceptions may also be different,” says Mayilian.
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” comments the testimony given by Hayk Harutiunian, the former chief of the Armenian police, to the parliamentary commission investigating the March 2008 clashes in Yerevan. The opposition paper singles out Harutiunian’s apparent admission that the police actions on that day were coordinated from the presidential administration, rather than the police headquarters. It also finds noteworthy Harutiunian’s remark that he repeatedly briefed Serzh Sarkisian on progress of the police operation on March 1, 2008. “Hayk Harutiunian is thereby clearly stating that Serzh Sarkisian and [former President] Robert Kocharian are equally responsible for the events of March 1,” “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” writes, interpreting that as a thinly veiled warning to Sarkisian not to blame Kocharian for the bloodshed.
“Taregir” believes that the police and other law-enforcement only deepen public distrust in Armenia’s security apparatus with their continuing crackdown on the opposition. “The citizen simply hates them,” claims the opposition paper. “The illusion that one day the police will make a U-turn and stand alongside the people is not materializing,” it says.
(Aghasi Yenokian)
Artur Aghabekian, another Dashnaktsutyun parliament, tells “Aravot” that he does not want to serve as chairman of the Armenian parliament’s committee on defense and security anymore despite the party’s decision to retain control of that position. “I have talked about that with my friends, [Dashnaktsutyun] bureau comrades, the leader of our faction and we arrived at the conclusion that I am making the right decision,” says Aghabekian.
Masis Mayilian, a former senior Nagorno-Karabakh official, tells “Hayots Ashkhar” that there are issues which Armenia must not discuss in the ongoing peace talks with Azerbaijan on behalf of the Karabakh Armenians. He says that would force Azerbaijan and international mediators to directly negotiate with the Karabakh government. “Armenia and Karabakh are two different states and their approaches and perceptions may also be different,” says Mayilian.
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” comments the testimony given by Hayk Harutiunian, the former chief of the Armenian police, to the parliamentary commission investigating the March 2008 clashes in Yerevan. The opposition paper singles out Harutiunian’s apparent admission that the police actions on that day were coordinated from the presidential administration, rather than the police headquarters. It also finds noteworthy Harutiunian’s remark that he repeatedly briefed Serzh Sarkisian on progress of the police operation on March 1, 2008. “Hayk Harutiunian is thereby clearly stating that Serzh Sarkisian and [former President] Robert Kocharian are equally responsible for the events of March 1,” “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” writes, interpreting that as a thinly veiled warning to Sarkisian not to blame Kocharian for the bloodshed.
“Taregir” believes that the police and other law-enforcement only deepen public distrust in Armenia’s security apparatus with their continuing crackdown on the opposition. “The citizen simply hates them,” claims the opposition paper. “The illusion that one day the police will make a U-turn and stand alongside the people is not materializing,” it says.
(Aghasi Yenokian)