During today’s joint press conference with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian OSCE Chairman-in-Office Dimitrij Rupel reiterated that he is to convey Ilham Aliyev’s message to Robert Kocharian. {BR} When asked what kind of message it is Mr. Rupel said, “Presently I cannot say anything. I’ll do it during the meeting with the Armenian President”. He also noted that the closing of positions of Armenia and Azerbaijan on Nagorno Karabakh is evident....

Upon completion of the meeting with OSCE Chairman-in-Office Dimitrij Rupel NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan answered reporters’ questions. {BR} -Do you see any progress in the Karabakh conflict settlement and what is your position on conduction of a referendum in the NKR? -It it hard to say whether there is progress or not. Anyway there are definitely some positive elements. I think that Azerbaijan...

“We are friends both to Armenia and Azerbaijan”, OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel upon completion of the meeting with NKR President Arkady Ghkasyan in Yerevan Hotel yesterday. {BR} According to A. Ghukasyan, the meeting was longer than it was scheduled. Is there a possibility for Nagorno Karabakh to take part in the negotiations? “There are several formats, these being the dialogue between the Presidents, the...

Following the process of discussions of the Constitutional reforms in the NA for 4 days, the party «New Times» has decided to express their opinion about the Constitutional reforms with an announcement. {BR} The party informs, that «they are sure that the Constitutional referendum to be organized is an unsuccessful attempt of the present powers to prolong their authorizations. The party calls...

Today the ex-members of the council of the Republican party who left the party made an official announcement commenting on their decision. {BR} Mr. Bazeyan represented the content of the announcement, “Expressing our disagreement with the political path of the Republican party, considering the hopes to solve inner political problems with the help of outer powers unacceptable, considering the promises...

This the opinion of political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan, interview with whom is presented below. -No serious changes are taking place in the Karabakh settlement. However the Minsk process that has been inactive since 1999 is being restores. As a matter of fact it is a positive step, however it has nothing in common with the Karabakh conflict settlement, which entirely depends on the will of...

“Karabakh determined its fate 14 years ago. Nagorno Karabakh is an independent republic”, engineer Arman Mejlumyan said. An alternative status of Nagorno Karabakh is inadmissible for him. “Blood was shed for Artsakh and the liberated territories. NRK should never be given to Azerbaijan”, student Karen Margaryan considers. 53% of our respondents consider that Karabakh should be an independent...

Politics is not trade and the notion of “mutual concessions” should be perceived from the viewpoint of all the parties to conflict. We should defend our interests and abstract talks about mutual concessions are inadmissible for me”, NKR Foreign Minister Arman Melikyan stated in an interview with Ayb-Fe weekly. Territories are the guarantee for the refugees’ issue “I am speaking of the parties involved in the conflict. The fate of Karabakh...

Taking into consideration the absence of any formal information board member of the Armenian National Movement Vahagn Hovhannisyan gives the following assessment to the current stage of the Karabakh conflict. During recent 7 years no progress was fixed in the Karabakh conflict settlement process. The incumbent leadership of Armenia and Azerbaija are protracting the settlement in order to hold the...

Failed meeting and empty talks. This is the assessment given by NA member Aram G. Sargsyan to the Kazan meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents. To note, A. Sargsyan himself participates in international meetings for the elaboration of the alternative ways of the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict. A model has been worked out by the representatives of Armenia, Karabakh and Azerbaijan....

The Human Rights Defender of RA Larissa Alaverdyan is concerned with the policy of several international structures, including the OSCE. {BR} «I have numerous questions to the OSCE, especially about the practice of dual principles. Before becoming Ombudsman I have thoroughly investigated the Karabakh conflict and I think that OSCE puts into practice dual principles in this respect», says Larissa...

The head of the OSCE Yerevan office Vladimir Pryakhin is discontent with the draft constitution adopted in the NA by second reading. «It is the joint result of the attitude of the authorities, the opposition and the civic society. The adopted draft is progressive at compared to the acting one, yet it needs processing and it could have been much better. To my mind, the draft must be put to referendum»,...

“We are somehow obliged to the Helsinki final act in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, as well as in the winning of peace and stability in the region”, this is the opinion of the RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan. {BR} One of the main principles of the act is the unchangeableness of the borders of the member countries. Asked the question how the document will affect the settlement of...

«The membership to organizations is based on the principle of voluntarism and it is their right», on the request of «A1+» Artak Zeynalyan, member of the Republican party commented on the decision of Vagharshak Haroutyunyan, Albert Bazeyan and 5 other members to leave the party. {BR} Asked the question if the activity of the party is in danger after the 7 members of the party's council left it, Zeynalyan said, «Of course not». Nevertheless,...

In connection with the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Helsinki final act, on the initiative of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Helsinki office in Armenia today the presentation of the Armenian translation of the act took place. The Helsinki final act was signed in 1975 and it is considered the OSCE starting point. {BR} Meeting in Helsinki the Governments of 35 countries finished...

«Nagorno Karabakh cannot be subject to commerce and this is the idea of the whole Armenian nation», said Robert Kocharyan in Stepanakert. He told the journalists that his opinion is the same as before and that the past 14 years showed the vitality of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, and that Karabakh is able to have independent statehood. {BR} Robert Kocharyan has mentioned that in several cases the...

In Azerbaijan the broadcasting of Armenian TV programs has been prohibited. In Aghsou a tower has been erected which will not allow the broadcasting of Armenian TV Channels in the territory of Azerbaijan, day.az reports. {BR} The same fate expects Irani TV programs. Another tower will be erected in Larik to prohibit their broadcasting.

The draft constitutional amendments adopted in the second reading by the NA would become a good basis if it were adopted in the first reading, since many clauses need further elaboration and coordination. However it is already impossible taking into consideration the fact that the third reading is called for editorial remarks only, constitutional right specialist Vardan Poghosyan considers. {BR} In...

“REFERENDUM ON CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS IF DOOMED TO FAILURE”, Vahagn Aytsoyan states. The Armenian National Movement has never changed its position on the constitutional amendments”, ANM board member Vahagn Aytsoyan stated in a conversation with A1+ reporter. {BR} V. Aytsoyan describes the enthusiasm of the Venice Commission as regards the draft constitutional amendments in the following way, “An extra instrument on Armenia in Karabakh...

September 6 OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel will visit Baku and then Armenia. The purpose of the visit is to discuss the outcomes of the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Kazan. {BR} During the regional visit the OSCE Chairman-in-Office will meet with the Presidents of both states. He is also expected to discuss the upcoming parliamentary elections...

It is rumored that ArmenTel Company is going to disconnect the cellular communications for ten days and then put on account of each subscriber 5000 AMD as compensation. {BR} “It is nonsense”, head of the department for public relations Hasmik Chulityan told A1+ reporter. She assured that the communication quality will considerably improve within the next several days.

ASSISTANCE TO COURT OF CASSATIONS The government has allocated 30 million AMD at the expense of the reserve fund to the Court of Cassations to secure normal functioning of the structure. {BR} BIG WATERS OF SEVAN The amount of water output from Sevan has increased with 30 million cubic meters. ON JUBILEE The government has assigned 27 million 108.2 thousand AMD at the expense of the reserve fund...

Today, after the three-day discussions the Armenian National Assembly has adopted in the second reading the constitutional amendments with 98 votes “for”, 0 – “against” and 1 abstainer. The opposition did not take part in the voting thus saying “no” to the constitutional amendments. {BR} To all appearances, the draft constitutional amendments will be given the third reading on September 12.

The commission of April 24 of the Armenian organizations of Netherlands sent in a petition to the Chairman of the Standing Commission for European Affairs of the Dutch parliament with the demand to include the Armenian Genocide recognition and opening of the Armenian-Turkish border in the EU-Turkey negotiation agenda. {BR} The petition says that after the resolution adopted by the EU on December 17,...