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News, 19 Aug, 2009.
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Azerbaijani hackers launch increasingly damaging attacks on Armenian Government websites. Authorities in Armenia are working to boost the security of various government websites suffering increasingly damaging attacks by Azerbaijani and other hackers, a senior official said on Tuesday. Ara Saghatelian, head of the Center for Public Relations and Information at the Armenian Presidential Administration, said his body and the National Security Service (NSS) recently launched separate studies on the security of government websites. "We are preparing to report the results of that study to our leadership," he told RFE/RL. "I am more than convinced that within a very short period of time, they will entail real and practical steps aimed at enhancing the security of those websites." The Armenian Government ordered relevant services to step up Internet security last April. Artsvin Baghramian, a spokesman for the NSS, said the decision led the security body to set up a special Internet task force. It has managed to neutralize some of the cyber attacks in recent months, Baghramian told RFE/RL. / Also covered by HAYOTS ASHKHAR
Daily criticizes reporters for focusing on certain parts of Co-Chair Bryza’s recent speech. HAYOTS ASHKHAR published an article opining that some Armenian journalists consider themselves "world analysts," and instead of taking note of the most important parts of an official’s speech, dwell on the secondary and peripheral items. The author of the article refers to the recent speech of Matthew Bryza in Tsakhkadzor during which he said that Nagorno-Karabakh and Kosovo are qualitatively different issues, and that Armenia's negotiating position was stronger 10 years ago than now. The author says that some Armenian reporters, instead of paying attention to the "double standards" used in this speech, focused on the latter comment, trying to understand what the Co-Chair meant by this. The daily calls on these reporters to understand that politicians, like Matthew Bryza, "understand quite well that political decisions have nothing to do with the concept of justice." (Note: The article is referring to Hayakakn Zhamanak reporters who have highlighted the Co-Chair’s comments on Armenia’s negotiating position 10 years ago numerous times).
OSCE Minsk Group goals? HAYOTS ASHKHAR published an article titled "Are the Sides Ready for Compromise," arguing that the OSCE Minsk Group countries are pursuing three goals in regards to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: 1. To reach an agreement acceptable to all of the conflicting sides, 2. To impose such an agreement, and 3. To preserve the status quo in the region. The article discusses the three items separately and concludes that the only thing the Co-Chairs are able to do for this conflict is to maintain the peace by freezing the conflict, as "Azerbaijan would never engage in broad military actions without the approval of the United States and Russia."
Respondents say Prosecutor General’s Office "most corrupt state structure," Armenian Apostolic Church least. HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK reports that according to a survey conducted with the financial support of USAID in 2008, the general public believes that the most corrupt state structures in Armenia are law enforcement authorities and the Prosecutor General's Office (66% of the respondents). The Central Electoral Commission ranks third (58%), followed by government ministries (53%), the marzpet (provincial) offices (50%), local self-governing bodies, the National Assembly (45%), the Government (44%), the President's Office (39%), the mass media (25%), the Ombudsman's Office (20%), NGOs (11%), and the Armenian Apostolic Church (7%). The daily opines that after getting acquainted with these figures, one would think that this poll was "conducted in a den of kleptocrats rather than in the territory of a state."
Armenia ranked 101st by Foreign Policy Magazine, does best in the region. Foreign Policy Magazine, an American publication, writes that Armenia is the most successful state in the region. The list, which is the magazine's 2009 Failed States Index, includes 177 states which were assessed for certain standards. Armenia was ranked 101st overall on the list, in which a higher rank indicated greater success. Among neighboring states, Turkey ranked 85th and the 33rd-ranked Georgia was the worst in the region. Azerbaijan was ranked 56th. Iran came in at 38th. / HAYOTS ASHKHAR, ARAVOT
MCC-Armenia approves new procedures for the election of board members. At yesterday's session of the Board of Beneficiaries of MCA-Armenia, the new electoral system of the board members was approved. The head of the Board of Beneficiaries, Poghos Shahinian, told journalists that, in contrast to the previous system, this new method includes such items as the confirmation of candidates by the Board of Beneficiaries, open competition for vacant board seats, and final election by the Electoral Commission, which happens to be comprised of 7 members. / HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTIUN
Black box of downed Tehran-Yerevan flight shows engine malfunction immediately prior to crash. According to AZG, the black boxes recovered from the downed Tu-154 jet flying from Tehran to Yerevan on July 15 are in the process of being made public. The Press Service of the Armenian Territorial Administration Ministry announced that the results of the examination show that one of the engines of the jet malfunctioned during the flight, but the cause of the malfunction is not yet clear.
President Sargsian sends letter of condolence to President Medvedev for recent terrorist attack in Ingushetia. President Sargsian sent a message to Russian President Medvedev on Tuesday condemning "the terrorist act that nothing can justify." "I was aggrieved upon learning about the horrible blast in Nazran on August 17, that caused death and suffering for many innocent people." On behalf of the Armenian people, he asked that "sincere profound condolences be conveyed to the relatives and friends of the deceased and words of encouragement and wishes of prompt recovery be communicated to those wounded in the terrorist act," the Presidential Press Service reports. / HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTIUN
Daily alleges that former President Kocharian abused tax payer funds via son’s Toyota business. HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK writes that the Finance Ministry has publicized a number of items that show how former President Robert Kocharian is abusing taxpayer funds. According to the publicized facts, 70 Toyota automobiles were purchased using state money in 2009 alone. The Toyota business in Armenia belongs to former President Kocharian's son Sedrak. As such, the daily speculates that in order for the Armenian Police to utilize Toyotas, the state paid 545,250,000 AMD ($1.47 million) to Kocharian. The daily stresses that these figures are for 2009 only, adding that during Kocharian’s tenure, a number of such cars were imposed on Armenian officials and "that is the reason why so many of them drive Toyotas."
LTP accuses President Sargsian of "abandoning Karabakh," calls for his resignation. Opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrossian accused Armenia’s leadership of agreeing to put Nagorno-Karabakh back under Azerbaijani control as he continued his nationwide meetings with supporters on Tuesday. "They abandoned [international recognition of] the 'genocide' and they will abandon Karabakh as well," Ter-Petrossian told reporters in the northern town of Ijevan. He did not elaborate on the allegation, saying only that President Serzh Sargsian’s resignation is the only way of preventing the loss of the Armenian controlled territory. “This man should go as soon as possible," the former President said. / RFE/R |
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