An outspoken political analyst, Ruben Hakobyan, said today that the Armenian government was able to use the Armenia-Turkish Protocols to redirect public attention from pressing domestic problems.
“We must pay more attention to our lives within the country, given that the fate of Armenia is being decided within, not without,” said Mr. Hakobyan. »»»»»
Political analyst Ruben Hakobyan described both sides in the process to normalize Armenian-Turkish relations as lacking “sincerity” at a press conference today. He said that it wasn’t coincidental that the process had been nicknamed “football diplomacy” given that both parties have been trying to manoeuvre past one another, just like in football.
Mr. Hakobyan said that from the start, the normalization process lacked any real long-term prospects. “From the get-go, Turkey was couching everything in terms of preconditions, but our government has only recently noticed them. Erdogan would wake up every day and say that they have preconditions. Our officials would say, don’t believe them, trust us.” »»»»»
In an apparent surprise to many in attendance, Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan opened the next consecutive session of the Aragatzotn Regional Council. After rural community leaders presented a check list of the problems faced by area villagers, Mr. Gevorgyan responded, “Don’t make me cry.”
DPM Gevorgyan said that henceforth, local community leaders would be present during Regional Council sessions and that they would thus be given the opportunity to raise issues they face in their respective communities. This view was contrasted by the fact that none of the local leaders present at yesterday’s hearings rose to ask a question of Aragatzotn Regional Administrator Sargis Sahakyan. »»»»»
On February 3, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, in testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, warned about the increasing risk of renewed conflict over Karabakh.
His comments on Karabakh were made during an assessment of threats to U.S. National Security and appeared under the heading, “Potential Flashpoints in Eurasia and the Balkans”. Mr. Blair said that although there has been progress in the past year toward Turkey-Armenia rapprochement, “this has affected the delicate relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”
Policy Forum Armenia, an independent think-tank, will hold its 2nd annual forum on Armenia-Diaspora relations in Washington, DC on February 28-March 2. Raffi Hovannisian, the first foreign minister of the RoA, will deliver the keynote luncheon address.
As in the 1st Forum, the 2nd (Armenia-Diaspora) Forum will gather a large number of intellectuals—academic and public policy practitioners—to discuss challenges and help devise new modes of engagement between Armenia and its Diaspora. A detailed agenda will be circulated within days.
Dear Readers,
As promised, the recently launched “Hetq” weekly newspaper is now available at your local Yerevan newsstand and we are distributing it to the other regions of the country and in Karabakh as well. If you don’t see it – tell your local vendor to get it. »»»»»
This morning as I drove past the State Economics Institute on Nalbandyan Street in Yerevan I saw two Red Berets standing on the corner in front of the entrance.
Today is back to school day across Armenia and students were flocking in front of their college buildings waiting for class to start while smoking slim cigarettes [...]
The Russians are in Armenia. In the lexicon of the Armenian elite, the Russians are our “back-up”. You need such “back-up” to get ahead in business, to become a member of parliament or even find any type of work. And since their “boss” says that today our “back-up” are the Russians; that’s what they repeat. [...]
By William A. Bairamian
The decision of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to delay the Bryza vote should not be welcomed by the Armenian-American community.
It should be no surprise that Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) urged the committee to delay the confirmation vote for Matthew Bryza, who has been nominated by President Obama to serve [...]
By Minas Kaynakjian
The other day on Armenian TV, there was a program dealing with the two visits of Yasser Arafat to Armenia back in the 70’ and 80’s. Arafat would spend several hours in Yerevan on his way from Beirut to Moscow for consultations with the leaders of the Communist Party.
Before parting he laid a [...]
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