Karabakh Agreement Signed

This just in!

At Sunday's talks hosted at Meiendorf Castle, the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed "to speed up further moves in the negotiating process" over Nagorno-Karabakh, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a statement.

The two country's foreign ministers would work with Russia, the US and France, co-chairmen of the Minsk Group of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which is seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict, he added.

Sounds like a waste of time to me, unless one side gives up. We all know it won't be Azerbaijan and we all know that Serzh has indicated that he would trade or willingly give up some lands altogether.

Probably a non-event, but we'll see.

Source: BBC News

Video of Protests in Little Armenia

Here's a short clip of the march in Little Armenia earlier today, March 2, 2008. Some claim up to 50,000 people showed, but I find that hard to believe.

Oh, and it seems that most people were...older. Figures, because younger people have better things to do than waste their time with a pointless march.

Imagine being there and not being Armenian.

Video of Riots in Yerevan, Armenia

Shot on March 2, 2008, in Yerevan, Armenia, in the wake of clashes between police forces and opposition protesters.

Yerevan Becomes Hell: Fires, Deaths, Misery

Way to outdo yourselves, guys. It wasn't enough that you protested after a relatively fair election, and you continued still even after the police moved in to move you out. And now this:

A police spokesman said that eight people were killed and 33 police officers injured in the clashes. He said several officers had been injured by gunfire.

Demonstrators hurled stones and petrol bombs, setting vehicles on fire, and police and troops responded with truncheons, tear gas and by firing bullets in the air.

TV pictures showed burnt-out cars and smashed shop windows in the city.

This is why foreigners are afraid of Armenia, whether visiting or investing. We mock some of the destabilized countries in Africa and Latin America, but what do we do when it happens on our own turf by our own people? Do we point fingers and blame the other guy? Do we kill people and destroy property to show dissatisfaction?

Source: BBC News

Armenian Police Clear Protesters

The dream is over, but not like the girls in the picture care. They're out protesting because their friends are there, happy with any outcome.

Scuffles broke out as police began forcing the demonstrators on to buses after 10 days of protests against the alleged rigging of the election.

Hundreds of police moved against the opposition camp on Freedom Square early on Saturday, dispersing the few hundred protesters still there. Media were kept away from the square as army lorries took away the protesters' tents.

But I thought Armenia was a democracy! That protesting would have an effect! That kindess would win over evil! What happened??

Reality happened.

Source: BBC News

Thousands Protest Election Results

It seems tens of thousands of people unhappy with the results of the election have decided to take to the streets in protest. It appears that this minority isn't happy with the fact that Serge Sarkisian received the majority of the votes in a landslide election or that Russia and the OSCE have approved of the election and its results. Nope, they demand new elections!

Election officials said a final count showed Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian with nearly 53 percent of the vote — enough to win outright and avoid a runoff. His main opponent, Levon Ter-Petrosian, had 21.5 percent.

Monitors for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said there were concerns about the vote count, but issued a generally positive assessment of the election. And Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country enjoys close ties with Armenia, congratulated Sarkisian on his victory.

"I would like to assure you that no one will be able to stop us from making sure that the rule of law is observed," Ter-Petrosian told cheering supporters.

Enough. Stop wasting your time. Serge had definite advantages going in, the election was relatively fair, and Levon lost. Advice to future candidates: don't make a surprise entry and expect the vast majority to take your side instantly.

You can almost hear the kid in the picture saying, "Mom, why are we out here wasting our time in the cold? I thought Mr. Sarkisian had won?"

Photo by Arthur Papyan

Serge Sarkisian is the President of Armenia!

Yes, my fellow Armenians, these results are not final, but you'd have to be insane to think that the final results would be significantly different so as to throw off the race. You'd also have to be instane to think that Levon wasn't drawing up the plans for a rally even before a single vote had been cast. The BBC had this to say:

Mr Sarkisian had gained 52.7% of the vote, with his nearest rival Levon Ter-Petrosian lagging on 21.5%. By early Wednesday, 97.5% of votes had been counted, according to official results given on Armenian public TV. Turnout was estimated at nearly 70% of 2.3m eligible voters.

But Mr Ter-Petrosian alleges widespread vote-rigging, and has called a rally in the capital, Yerevan. But Mr Ter-Petrosian - a former president - surprised onlookers with a lively and outspoken campaign, and now insists he is the real winner.

How do you say "bullshit" in Armenian?

As I said previously, there wouldn't be a drastic difference for the people of Armenia one way or the other. On the plus side, though, Armenia will not compromise on Karabakh and on the Genocide issue with Turkey. Oh, and a certain other person will not be returning.

Edit: It seems a few of you who are either still shook up or otherwise incapable of comprehending sarcasm believe that I support Sarkisian. That's simply not true: I only wanted Levon to lose. It seems the Armenian people wanted the very same thing.

Armenia "Votes" Today

Ah yes, today is the day where corruption, blind nationalism, and fraud all come together in the form of Armenia's Presidential Election! Who will win? Who will lose? One thing's for certain, this is not going to be a demonstration of democracy and whoever is elected will first and foremost get himself rich, then those near him, and whatever is left will be spread among the lower individuals in power.

Edit: It seems that BBC News went around and asked a dozen Armenians the things that they want with the new president. Recurring themes? Job creation and end to corruption.

Jet Crashes in Zvartnots, All Survived

Not the kind of news you expect to see on a day as innocent as Valentine's Day.

A plane carrying 21 people has crashed on takeoff from Armenia's capital, but there were no deaths reported...

The plane, a Canadair CRJ-100, was heading for Minsk, Belarus, when it flipped over on the runway at Zvartnots Airport and burst into flames...

What a miracle that no one was injured, but it seems suspicious that they have not yet identified the airline to which the plane belonged. Armavia was at the tip of my tongue, to be honest.

Update: Thanks to reader AB, it seems that the airline was Belavia, the national airline of Belarus. It is also revealed that the airplane's wing clipped the runway on takeoff, causing it to crash. On board were 4 citizens of Belarus, 1 of Russia, 1 of Ukraine, 5 of Georgia, and the rest of Armenia.

Source: AP