“Unfortunately, we do not have functioning legislative, political and public mechanisms for restraining arbitrary actions of our rulers,” editorializes “Aravot.” “The only restraining factor is that our country is seriously dependent on the West and that has been forcing our authorities for the past 18 years to act with a more or less human face in front of the outside world. But obviously that is a very shaky and very temporary factor which can not be relied on.”
“Hraparak” expresses serious concern about rising crime in Armenia. “Surely, law-enforcers and psychologists, sociologists and teachers have a lot of food for thought,” editorializes the paper. “What is the reason for that? Which neurological, psychological and other health problems has our population accumulated?”
Interviewed by “Hayots Ashkhar,” a senior representative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), Giro Manoyan, insists that international mediators are pressuring Armenia and Azerbaijan to cut a framework peace deal in time for an October 14 football game in Turkey which they hope will be attended by President Serzh Sarkisian. “Turkey expects the Armenian president to pay a return visit, while the mediators are trying to satisfy the Turkish side’s demand or precondition that Turkey will not sign any agreement with Armenia as long as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not settled. Since the April 22 [Turkish-Armenian] statement it is Turkey that has effectively suspended bilateral negotiations [with Armenia.] If the mediators manage to get a positive response from Armenia and Azerbaijan on the basic principles of the conflict’s resolution by the beginning of October, they will start exerting pressure on Turkey so that Ankara kick-starts the negotiating process suspended on April 22.”
Manoyan also anticipates “heated political developments” in Armenia in the weeks ahead. “The thing is that official Yerevan has to formulate a final view on what they call the basic principles of the conflict’s resolution by October,” he says.
Speaking to “Zhamanak,” opposition politician Petros Makeyan downplays the significance of opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian’s ongoing visits to Armenia’s regions. Makeyan says that the main purpose of the visits is to give moral support to families of prominent opposition figures remaining in prison. “I don’t see political elements there,” he says. Makeyan suggests that Ter-Petrosian apparently had the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process in mind when he spoke recently of an impending major change in the political situation in Armenia.
(Tigran Avetisian)
“Hraparak” expresses serious concern about rising crime in Armenia. “Surely, law-enforcers and psychologists, sociologists and teachers have a lot of food for thought,” editorializes the paper. “What is the reason for that? Which neurological, psychological and other health problems has our population accumulated?”
Interviewed by “Hayots Ashkhar,” a senior representative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), Giro Manoyan, insists that international mediators are pressuring Armenia and Azerbaijan to cut a framework peace deal in time for an October 14 football game in Turkey which they hope will be attended by President Serzh Sarkisian. “Turkey expects the Armenian president to pay a return visit, while the mediators are trying to satisfy the Turkish side’s demand or precondition that Turkey will not sign any agreement with Armenia as long as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not settled. Since the April 22 [Turkish-Armenian] statement it is Turkey that has effectively suspended bilateral negotiations [with Armenia.] If the mediators manage to get a positive response from Armenia and Azerbaijan on the basic principles of the conflict’s resolution by the beginning of October, they will start exerting pressure on Turkey so that Ankara kick-starts the negotiating process suspended on April 22.”
Manoyan also anticipates “heated political developments” in Armenia in the weeks ahead. “The thing is that official Yerevan has to formulate a final view on what they call the basic principles of the conflict’s resolution by October,” he says.
Speaking to “Zhamanak,” opposition politician Petros Makeyan downplays the significance of opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian’s ongoing visits to Armenia’s regions. Makeyan says that the main purpose of the visits is to give moral support to families of prominent opposition figures remaining in prison. “I don’t see political elements there,” he says. Makeyan suggests that Ter-Petrosian apparently had the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process in mind when he spoke recently of an impending major change in the political situation in Armenia.
(Tigran Avetisian)