“Zhoghovurd” criticizes the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s response to the November 12 shooting down of an Armenian helicopter near Nagorno-Karabakh, saying that so far it has made only one statement in connection with the incident. “[Foreign Minister] Edward Nalbandian should have been making statements day and night, instructed Armenian ambassadors abroad to organize street protests together with local Armenian communities, held constant meetings with foreign ambassadors in Yerevan,” says the paper. “The options are numerous, while those ready to use them are essentially non-existent.”
“Zhamanak” laments a lack of discussions on the incident among Armenia’s main pro-government and opposition parties. The paper says that the opposition has only declared that if the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh continues to deteriorate it will “defend the state.”
“Hraparak” comments on the rejection by Armenia’s three leading opposition parties of a government proposal to discuss ways of meeting 12 demands that were voiced by them in June. The paper says that even Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian, clearly acting on behalf of President Serzh Sarkisian, failed to convince the trio on Tuesday.
“The main reason why Serzh Sarkisian’s initiative has failed is its format,” writes “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun.” “The trio has nothing to discuss with the government. The trio’s messages are directed at Serzh Sarkisian.”
The spokesman for Robert Kocharian, Victor Soghomonian, tells “Zhoghovurd” that the former Armenian president will soon make fresh statements on the state of affairs in the country. He says that Kocharian is not in Armenia at the moment and will speak up on his return.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” reports that the Armenian government has allocated more land to an expensive “training center” that has been built by the State Revenue Committee in the resort town of Dilijan. The paper says that the tax collection agency, which regularly faces corruption allegations, already controls some 25 hectares of land there.
(Heghine Buniatian)