“Today our republic is like a fireman who tries to blow off fire in various places simultaneously”, political scientist Aghasy Yenokyan says. According to him, complimentary policy is essential, however in Armenia it is applied not as a principle or norm but as a mere term. “Our policy is not complimentary, it can no orbit. First our policy serves to the foreign policy of Russia,...

Can a state exist without contacts with other states? Such may exist in the past but in the 21st century it’s impossible. What direction should independent Armenia orient itself to? We addressed 100 citizens with this question September 25-28. “Blessed be the moment when a Russian set foot on the Armenian land. Khachtur Abovyan was right. Russia have always been a sister nation to Armenia and will remain such”, a man of 60 said. 27% of the...

This is the opinion of head of the department of political programming Sarmen Baghdarasyan. Any work targeted at the elaboration of foreign political trajectory starts usually in this department. -How many poles of forces to lead complimentary policy with does official Yerevan see at present? -Complimentarity does not imply the essential presence of various poles. We should support this policy towards...

The Venice Commission is interested in the change of Constitution in RA. According to the Venice Commission secretary Gianni Buquicchio, it proceeds from the interests of Armenia, «We want Armenia to be like the other countries and to develop like them». {BR} Even in case of this interest Mr. Buquicchio assures that if the constitutional referendum fails, the CoE and EU experts «will express their...

The RA President's representative in Constitutional affairs Armen Haroutyunyan answers the questions of «A1+». {BR} - According to you, is the draft Constitution adopted by the NA third hearing better than the one which was not adopted by referendum in 2003? - Of course it is. In general, of all the drafts for these years this one is the best. And it is not by chance that the Venice Commission...

Great as the hopes are to restore justice in the Euro Court, the time you spend waiting for it to make a decision makes people desperate. In answer to the questions of «A1+» the president of the European Court of Human Rights Luzius Wildhaber who is in Armenia at present said, {BR} - The despair of the people is justified, but justified as the complaints of the RA citizens of your court system may...

«YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD CONSTITUTION, BUT NOT AN IDEAL ONE» «We can say that the RA authorities have included all our offers into the draft Constitution», said the Venice Commission secretary Gianni Buquicchio. He also answered some other questions of «A1+». {BR} - I know that changes have been introduced into the draft after the second reading, but we are now acquainted with the draft adopted by third reading. EU, CoE and OSCE have only one...

«I am glad that International Constitutional Legislative Conferences are traditionally organized in Yerevan. Armenia is preparing for serious Constitutional reforms. They must be harmonious with the social developments and contribute to them», said the RA President Robert Kocharyan today during the Conference organized in connection with the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution and...

The party “One Nation” and the Armenian Nationalist Union have decided to take the legislative initiative and offer the Parliament to deprive the deputies who have been inadequately absent from the Parliament for a month of their mandate. {BR} Mentioning the fact that in that case the opposition who has announced political boycott will be deprived of the mandates first, the leader of the party «One Nation» Gor Tamrazyan said that in any case...

«The court was not subject to pressures», said the newly elected head of the Qanaqer-Zeytun community Arayik Qotanjyan during the press conference about the elections in the community today in «Azdak» club. {BR} After the elections were announced invalid, Arayik Qotanjyan did not even hope that the trial would be held, but when it was, he was sure to win, «In case of holding the trial there could be no other decision, as the forgery and the...

“I am convinced now that I am an important factor in the political field as the whole power system fought against me”, announced Kenton community head candidate Rouzan Khachatryan during today’s press conference. {BR} She reminded that Robert Kocharyan, Serge Sargsyan, Andranik Margaryan and Andranik Manoukyan have never been involved in the community head elections. «On the election day Robert Kocharyan announced that he whom he votes for...

Turkey renounced the negotiations about the membership to EU which were to take place on October 3, the Foreign Minister of Turkey Abdullah Gyul announced. He said that the EU must keep Turkey aware of its plans. {BR} In any case, according to the Foreign Minister, the sides continue to work in order to eliminate the disagreements. The Turkish Prime Minister Rejeb Tayip Erdoghan in his turn announced...

Commission and representatives from other international organizations are to hold a round table with representatives of Armenian political parties, media and civil society on constitutional reform. {BR} They will discuss the proposed new constitution at a meeting in Yerevan at 4pm on Friday 30 September 2005, at the offices of the National Assembly. This text, which was finalized by the National Assembly...

Today Armenian Foreign Minister was answering journalists’ questions referring to the Karabakh settlement negotiations without enthusiasm. {BR} The RA FM restricted himself to short answers like “yes”, “no”, “I don’t think so”, “the agreements underwent no changes”. The last remark referred to Azerbaijan’s permanent attempts to submit the issue to the UN General Assembly. As for the outcomes of the Vienna meeting of the OSCE...

On September 28-29, the fourth annual U.S.-Armenia Bilateral Defense Consultations were held in Yerevan, Armenia. As part of the consultations, a U.S. delegation led by Mr. Scott Schless, Principal Director for Eurasia in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, met with Armenian Ministry of Defense officials. The Armenian delegation was led by General-Major Artur Aghabekyan, Deputy Minister of Defense....

From today Araik Kotanjyan is the prefect of Kanaker-Zeytun community. The decision was taken by the Court of First Instance of Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun community in accord with the suit brought by Araik Kotanjyan himself. {BR} To remind, the election of the head of Kanaker-Zeytun community was held on September 18. Taking into account the minor difference between the number of the votes garnered...

The European Union will not launch the New Neighbors Program with Armenia because of Azerbaijan. EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Haeikki Talviie without going into detail informed that Azerbaijan has problems with one of the EU member-states and the program will not be launched until these problems are settled.{BR} Mr. Talvitie hopes that during 1.5 month the problem with Azerbaiajan...

Today at 18.30 an action will be held next to the European Commission building in Tbilisi to support the passage of a compulsory condition for Turkey's accession to the EU, which lies in Turkey's recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. {BR} The action will comprise some 100 participants with gratitude words written in all state languages of the EU member states, as well...

The session of the Council of CIS Interior Ministers started in Yerevan today. {BR} The Ministers will discuss the ways of combating terrorism via creation of international legal basis, harmonization of the country legislation and unification of efforts of the legislative and executive bodies. Organized crime, illegal circulation of drugs and weapons, illegal migration and trafficking in people will...

The second official who made speech during the Governmental briefing today was the Transportation and Communication deputy Minister Hrant Beglaryan. He gave some information about the documents processed in order to make the exploitation of transport safer and more civilized. {BR} The most important point was that the Ministry will not allow the installment of gas-cylinders into the cars which are...

By the budget of the coming year the Government will allot 270 million ARMD more to the city transport. 462 million AMRD has also been allotted as compensation to those who had deposits in the unfinished buildings' construction. {BR} this information was given by the Finance and Economy deputy Minister Pavel Safaryan during today's Governmental briefing. He also mentioned that there is not much chance...

According to the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the adoption of the draft Constitution will have the effect of a revolution. «Our social-political life has the possibility to be subverted in case of voting for the draft Constitution», said member of the ARF, chief editor of the weekly «Yerkir» Spartak Seyranyan today during the seminar «The RA Amended Draft Constitution on the Eve of the Referendum»...

356 “for”, 181 “against”, 125 “undecided”. This is how the deputies of the Euro Parliament voted for the convention about Turkey. As for Armenia, there is a point clearly stipulated in the document. {BR} The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is the condition which will open the door of the EU for Turkey.

The non-governmental and political organizations of Javakhq are demanding sovereignty from the Georgian Government. According to politician Andranik Mihranyan, this was to be expected, especially on the background of the ousting of the Russian military bases from Javakh. {BR} The military bases were the main source for income for the majority of the residents of Javakhq. The politician thinks that...