(Saturday, December 22)
“Zhoghovurd” says that disagreements between Armenia and other members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) over the choice of the next secretary general of the Russian-led alliance seem to be deepening. The paper reports that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a draft CSTO decision to appoint a senior Belarusian official, Stanislav Zas, to the vacant post. “Presumably Armenia will veto Zas’s appointment if Belarus insists on its desire,” it says. It quotes Zas as implying on Friday that his appointment does not necessarily require unanimity by all CSTO member states.
“It is already clear that important developments on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue are expected next year,” writes “Aravot.” “We must again stress that no Armenian leader has deliberately taken or will take any steps that would put Armenia and Artsakh (Karabakh) in danger. We, the citizens, have to try to get answers to a number of important questions.” One of those questions, the paper says, is whether international mediators are currently making any peace proposals that do not call for Armenian withdrawal from five districts around Karabakh. “Does Azerbaijan agree to such a solution extremely favorable to us?” it goes on. But if the mediators are pressing for major Armenian territorial concessions to Azerbaijan then Armenians must know what they would gain in return, according to the paper. “If that only includes a lifting of the blockade and an uncertain promise of some unclear referendum then that is certainly not good enough,” it says.
“Hraparak” reports on the resignation of the director of the Armenian Public Radio, Mark Grigorian, which was demanded by some employees of the state-run broadcaster. The paper says other radio workers believe that Grigorian should not have quit so easily. “They believe that this resignation was orchestrated by the head of the Public Television and Radio, Ruben Jaghinian,” it says.
(Tatev Danielian)
Facebook Forum