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('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 911, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \">For Immediate Release</div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><div style=\"text-align: left; \">December 12, 2012</div><div style=\"text-align: left; \">Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div style=\"text-align: left; \">Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><p>&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan &mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. Yet, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S. based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;<a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA%20-%20Report%2012-1.12.pdf\">The Armenian Parliamentary Election of 2012</a>,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, which support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analysis&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&ldquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia</strong>is an independent professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 912, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \">For Immediate Release</div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><div style=\"text-align: left; \">December 12, 2012</div><div style=\"text-align: left; \">Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div style=\"text-align: left; \">Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><p>&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan &mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. Yet, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S. based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;<a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA%20-%20Report%2012-1.12.pdf\">The Armenian Parliamentary Election of 2012</a>,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, which support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analysis&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&ldquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia&nbsp;</strong>is an independent professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 913, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \">For Immediate Release</div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><div style=\"text-align: left; \">December 12, 2012</div><div style=\"text-align: left; \">Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div style=\"text-align: left; \">Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><p>&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan &mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. Yet, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S. based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;<a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA%20-%20Report%2012-1.12.pdf\">Armenian&#39;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, which support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analysis&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&ldquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia&nbsp;</strong>is an independent professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 914, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan &mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. Yet, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S. based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;<a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA%20-%20Report%2012-1.12.pdf\">Armenian&#39;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, which support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analysis&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&ldquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia&nbsp;</strong>is an independent professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 915, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan &mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. Yet, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S. based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;<a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA%20-%20Report%2012-1.12.pdf\">Armenian&#39;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, which support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analysis&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&ldquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia&nbsp;</strong>is an independent professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 916, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan &mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. Yet, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S. based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;<a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA%20-%20Report%2012-1.12.pdf\">Armenian&#39;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, which support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analysis&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&ldquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia&nbsp;</strong>is an independent professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 938, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan &mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. Yet, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S. based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;<a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA%20-%20Report%2012-1.12.pdf\">Armenian&#39;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, which support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analysis&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&ldquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia&nbsp;</strong>is an independent professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 940, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div><a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/PR%20in%20Armenian%20final%20.pdf\">Press Release in Armenian</a></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan &mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. Yet, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S. based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;<a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA%20-%20Report%2012-1.12.pdf\">Armenian&#39;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, which support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analysis&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&ldquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia&nbsp;</strong>is an independent professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 941, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div><a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/PR%20in%20Armenian%20final%20.pdf\">Press Release in Armenian</a></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan &mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. Yet, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S. based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;<a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA%20-%20Report%2012-1.12.pdf\">Armenian&#39;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, which support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analysis&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&ldquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia&nbsp;</strong>is an independent professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 942, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div><strong><a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/PR%20in%20Armenian%20final%20.pdf\">Press Release in Armenian</a></strong></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan &mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. Yet, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S. based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;<a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA%20-%20Report%2012-1.12.pdf\">Armenian&#39;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, which support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analysis&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&ldquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia&nbsp;</strong>is an independent professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 946, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div><a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/PR%20in%20Armenian%20final%20.pdf\">Press Release in Armenian</a></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan&mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. However, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S.-based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;The Armenian Parliamentary Election of 2012,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, that support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud, but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analyses&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that, &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Policy Forum Armeniais an independent, professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html');
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('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 947, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div><strong><a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/PR%20in%20Armenian%20final%20.pdf\">Press Release in Armenian</a></strong></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan&mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. However, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S.-based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;The Armenian Parliamentary Election of 2012,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, that support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud, but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analyses&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that, &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Policy Forum Armeniais an independent, professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 948, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div><strong><a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/PR%20in%20Armenian%20final%20.pdf\">Press Release in Armenian</a></strong></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan&mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. However, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S.-based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;The Armenian Parliamentary Election of 2012,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, that support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud, but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analyses&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that, &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Policy Forum Armeniais an independent, professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 949, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div><strong><a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/PR%20in%20Armenian%20final%20.pdf\">Press Release in Armenian</a></strong></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan&mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. However, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S.-based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;The Armenian Parliamentary Election of 2012,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, that support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud, but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analyses&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that, &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p>Policy Forum Armeniais an independent, professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 950, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div><strong><a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/PR%20in%20Armenian%20final%20.pdf\">Press Release in Armenian</a></strong></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan&mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. However, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S.-based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, &ldquo;The Armenian Parliamentary Election of 2012,&rdquo; provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, that support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud, but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analyses&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that, &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p><strong>Policy Forum Armenia</strong> is an independent, professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 983, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div><strong><a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/PR%20in%20Armenian%20final%20.pdf\">Press Release in Armenian</a></strong></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan&mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. However, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S.-based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, <strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">&ldquo;The Armenian Parliamentary Election of 2012,&rdquo;</a></strong> provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, that support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud, but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analyses&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that, &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p><strong>Policy Forum Armenia</strong> is an independent, professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 984, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div><strong><a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/PR%20in%20Armenian%20final%20.pdf\">Press Release in Armenian</a></strong></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan&mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. However, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S.-based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, <strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">&ldquo;Armenia&#39;s 2012 Parliamentary Election,&rdquo;</a></strong> provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, that support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud, but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analyses&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that, &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p><strong>Policy Forum Armenia</strong> is an independent, professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 987, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><strong><a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/sites/default/files/PR%20in%20Armenian%20final%20.pdf\">Press Release in Armenian</a></strong></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan&mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. However, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S.-based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, <strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">&ldquo;Armenia&#39;s 2012 Parliamentary Election,&rdquo;</a></strong> provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, that support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud, but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analyses&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that, &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p><strong>Policy Forum Armenia</strong> is an independent, professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 486, 1001, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: left; \"><div><div>For Immediate Release</div><div>December 12, 2012</div><div>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>Web: <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/PR%20in%20Armenian%20final%20.pdf\">Press Release in Armenian</a></strong></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto;\"><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AUTHORITIES IN ARMENIA PUT A NEW FACE ON ELECTION FRAUD</strong></p><p>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan&mdash; Earlier this year, under mounting pressure by the international community and civil society, the government of the Republic of Armenia took measures to reduce fraud and manipulation going into the 2012 parliamentary election. However, according to a special report released today by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) &mdash; a U.S.-based international think tank and advocacy organization &mdash; true election reform in Armenia has, once again, been hijacked, only this time by even more inventive and well-concealed methods of falsification.</p><p>The report, <strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">&ldquo;Armenia&#39;s 2012 Parliamentary Election,&rdquo;</a></strong> provides an in-depth analysis of the political-economic and legislative developments leading up to the 2012 election. It also summarizes the reactions of key stakeholders &mdash; the opposition parties, foreign observers, and local civil society groups &mdash; to the election outcome.</p><p>What particularly sets the report apart from other analyses, however, is the range of statistical tests, conducted by professional analysts, that support stakeholder reactions. These tests not only yielded ample evidence of persistent and strategic election fraud, but also pinpointed the beneficiary of such corrupt practices, namely the ruling party.</p><p>Commenting on the report&rsquo;s findings Adam Hug, the Policy Director at London-based Foreign Policy Centre, said, &ldquo;This important and detailed report shows that Armenia still has a long-way to go to before its elections can be called free and fair. In particular, the results of the statistical analyses&nbsp;would seem to indicate that the election authorities successfully managed to adapt to the changes in laws and outside pressures (via&nbsp;illegal use of identities of Armenian citizens who have emigrated and violations in vote counting),&nbsp;which is&nbsp;deeply concerning. Armenia will have to improve its election processes if future results are to command the confidence of the international community and most importantly the Armenian public.&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Senior Fellow, Armine Ishkanian of the London School of Economics, went on to say that, &ldquo;The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and mechanisms, which are artfully concealed, make it difficult for outside observers to cite and document specific instances.&nbsp; It is electoral fraud 2.0. The authors of this report have had to bring to bear all the tools of research and analysis available to shed light on these techniques and provide stakeholders with statistical back-up that election fraud is alive and well in Armenia. The question is, what are the prospects for the forthcoming presidential elections early next year?&rdquo;</p><p>PFA Executive Board member and a Los Angeles-based attorney, Edgar Martirosyan, pointed out that achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. &ldquo;Better elections are likely to result in better governance and stronger social cohesion,&rdquo; he asserted. &ldquo;And it is an internationally accepted conclusion that good governance is the primary driver of economic development and progress in developing countries like Armenia.&rdquo;</p><p align=\"center\"># # #</p><p><strong>Policy Forum Armenia</strong> is an independent, professional non-profit association aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and, through that, helping to shape public policy in Armenia. This special Election Report and other PFA reports, which provide assessments of critical developments taking place in Armenia and the Diaspora, are available at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/reports\">www.pf-armenia.org/reports</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'profile', 0, 506, 907, 'und', 0, 'Sassoon Kosian has been in the field of Decision Analytics for 13 years. Currently he is Assistant Vice President and Head of Methodology Group in the consulting branch of EXL Service, a NASDAQ listed global company. Sassoon’s group is responsible for the company’s statistical/predictive modeling methodologies, R&D initiatives and training the company’s professional pool. In his tenure Sassoon has advised numerous US corporations on analytical/modeling methodologies that help to improve business effectiveness and efficiency. Sassoon holds master’s degrees in Economics, Political Science and Physics, and has presented at national and international conferences. Apart from his professional career Sassoon is the founder and administrator of a Facebook activist group Campaign Against Oligarchy that focuses on critical issues of criminal oligopoly and corruption in Armenia.', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'site_page', 0, 507, 939, 'und', 0, 'PFA Special Report: Armenia\'s 2012 Parliamentary Election\r\n', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'site_page', 0, 507, 945, 'und', 0, 'PFA Special Report: Armenia\'s 2012 Parliamentary Election\r\n', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'site_page', 0, 531, 985, 'und', 0, 'The report in Armenian', '', 'filtered_html'),
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('node', 'news', 0, 532, 996, 'und', 0, '<p><a href=\"http://www.bne.eu/story3284/Yelling_at_Yerevan\"><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Molly Corso in Tbilisi&nbsp;</span></a><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">February 27, 2012</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">If a series of reports on the Armenian economy are any indication of the country&#39;s fiscal health, it&#39;s going to be a tough year for Yerevan.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">A February report from the US-based think-tank Policy Forum Armenia (PFA), entitled &quot;Armenia: Averting an Economic Catastrophe,&quot; paints a dire picture of the country&#39;s prospects heading into 2012.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">It details a laundry list of economic ills that could create turmoil in the tiny South Caucasus nation, especially homegrown problems such as the probable devaluation of the dram and the government&#39;s tarnished legitimacy. &quot;An unsustainable de facto exchange rate peg and structural policies are resulting in massive external imbalances, which will eventually lead to abandonment of the peg with very serious implications for the over-exposed banking sector and already high public debt levels,&quot; the paper notes. &quot;The elements of the same crony capitalist practices&hellip; have been reinforced at the expense of growth, public health, education and national security.&quot;&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">&quot;Armenia&#39;s window of opportunity to build a viable economy and address its severe social and demographic problems is closing rapidly,&quot; it warns.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">PFA&#39;s negative assessment of the economy is just the most recent in a series of efforts to sound an alarm about Armenia&#39;s problems.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">In July,&nbsp;</span><i style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Forbes&nbsp;</i><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">magazine named Armenia the second worst economy in the world, after Madagascar. With inflation at 7% in 2011 and the economy still shaky after a 15% contraction in 2009, Armenia is &quot;struggling to keep up with the rest of the world,&quot; according to the magazine. Transparency International also weighed in, ranking Armenia at 129 out of 183 countries in its 2011 Corruption Perceptions Index. The World Bank&#39;s 2012 &quot;Doing Business&quot; report was only slightly more positive, bumping Armenia up six slots to rank 55 out of 183 economies due to reforms in starting a business, dealing with construction permits and getting credit. But the country continues to rank near the bottom of the list in paying taxes, resting at a low number 150.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Yerevan&#39;s struggles to control rampant tax evasion and an entrenched &quot;cronyism capitalism&quot; have amplified the country&#39;s problems, according to the PFA report. &quot;There are widespread concerns about corruption in the tax and customs agency, as well as about failures to collect taxes from government-connected oligarchs,&quot; the report states, noting that tax reforms stop short of forcing &quot;top government officials and parliamentarians&quot; to comply. &quot;In all, several hundred million dollars are embezzled annually in the form of non-payment of taxes and outright budgetary theft,&quot; it estimates.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Tax revenue is just 16.3% of GDP in Armenia, compared with 24.9% in Georgia and 31.4% in Moldova, according to IMF statistics provided by the report.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Tax evasion is &quot;now a direct threat to the state,&quot; notes analyst Richard Giragosian, the director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC) in Yerevan. &quot;The so-called oligarchs&hellip; are not paying taxes,&quot; he says, noting they are mainly commodities-based cartels that control the supply of imported goods. &quot;They are undermining the state.&quot;&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">New tax reform is good on paper, but bad on implementation, Giragosian notes. &quot;The [tax] reforms are quite good on paper. The problem is in the implementation, not in the formulation. They are not implemented adequately across the board. They are not fairly implemented because of the political weight of the oligarchs [help them get around the law].&quot;&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Giragosian adds that while there is political will to combat tax evasion, the government is threatening its own support base by going after the oligarchs &ndash; something that might be possible following the May parliament elections, but not before.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><b style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Debt burden</b><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">The country&#39;s large amount of outstanding foreign debt is adding to the problems by exacerbating the country&#39;s lack of income.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Tatoul Manasserian, head of the Alternative Research Center in Yerevan, said in an October presentation at the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) that the country&#39;s debt is near &quot;dangerous&quot; levels and requires more effective tax and customs policies.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">The PFA report says the government borrowed heavily following the 2008 crisis, but said it did little to bring economic relief to the country over the past three years. &quot;Armenia reacted to the crisis by a massive fiscal stimulus that was largely financed through external borrowing. However, not only did the stimulus not prevent the economy from nose-diving in 2009, but its effects were short-lived,&quot; the report states, noting the foreign debt is now 40% of the country&#39;s GDP.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Giragosian stresses that the staggering debt has left Armenia without a &quot;cushion&quot; for future shocks. &quot;The Armenian government&#39;s immediate response to the financial crisis was not typical &ndash; it did not [attempt] stimulating the economy or creating jobs programmes. It was an immediate response to seek foreign loans [from] the World Bank, IMF, Russia, Persian Gulf, China,&quot; he says. &quot;Now there is no one left to lend to the Armenian government&hellip; so there is no more cushion or source of [financing].&quot;&nbsp;</span></p>', '', 'full_html');
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('node', 'news', 0, 532, 997, 'und', 0, '<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \"><a href=\"http://www.bne.eu/story3284/Yelling_at_Yerevan\">Business New Europe</a>&nbsp;Magazine</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">February 27, 2012</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">If a series of reports on the Armenian economy are any indication of the country&#39;s fiscal health, it&#39;s going to be a tough year for Yerevan.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">A February report from the US-based think-tank Policy Forum Armenia (PFA), entitled &quot;Armenia: Averting an Economic Catastrophe,&quot; paints a dire picture of the country&#39;s prospects heading into 2012.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">It details a laundry list of economic ills that could create turmoil in the tiny South Caucasus nation, especially homegrown problems such as the probable devaluation of the dram and the government&#39;s tarnished legitimacy. &quot;An unsustainable de facto exchange rate peg and structural policies are resulting in massive external imbalances, which will eventually lead to abandonment of the peg with very serious implications for the over-exposed banking sector and already high public debt levels,&quot; the paper notes. &quot;The elements of the same crony capitalist practices&hellip; have been reinforced at the expense of growth, public health, education and national security.&quot;&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">&quot;Armenia&#39;s window of opportunity to build a viable economy and address its severe social and demographic problems is closing rapidly,&quot; it warns.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">PFA&#39;s negative assessment of the economy is just the most recent in a series of efforts to sound an alarm about Armenia&#39;s problems.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">In July,&nbsp;</span><i style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Forbes&nbsp;</i><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">magazine named Armenia the second worst economy in the world, after Madagascar. With inflation at 7% in 2011 and the economy still shaky after a 15% contraction in 2009, Armenia is &quot;struggling to keep up with the rest of the world,&quot; according to the magazine. Transparency International also weighed in, ranking Armenia at 129 out of 183 countries in its 2011 Corruption Perceptions Index. The World Bank&#39;s 2012 &quot;Doing Business&quot; report was only slightly more positive, bumping Armenia up six slots to rank 55 out of 183 economies due to reforms in starting a business, dealing with construction permits and getting credit. But the country continues to rank near the bottom of the list in paying taxes, resting at a low number 150.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Yerevan&#39;s struggles to control rampant tax evasion and an entrenched &quot;cronyism capitalism&quot; have amplified the country&#39;s problems, according to the PFA report. &quot;There are widespread concerns about corruption in the tax and customs agency, as well as about failures to collect taxes from government-connected oligarchs,&quot; the report states, noting that tax reforms stop short of forcing &quot;top government officials and parliamentarians&quot; to comply. &quot;In all, several hundred million dollars are embezzled annually in the form of non-payment of taxes and outright budgetary theft,&quot; it estimates.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Tax revenue is just 16.3% of GDP in Armenia, compared with 24.9% in Georgia and 31.4% in Moldova, according to IMF statistics provided by the report.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Tax evasion is &quot;now a direct threat to the state,&quot; notes analyst Richard Giragosian, the director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC) in Yerevan. &quot;The so-called oligarchs&hellip; are not paying taxes,&quot; he says, noting they are mainly commodities-based cartels that control the supply of imported goods. &quot;They are undermining the state.&quot;&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">New tax reform is good on paper, but bad on implementation, Giragosian notes. &quot;The [tax] reforms are quite good on paper. The problem is in the implementation, not in the formulation. They are not implemented adequately across the board. They are not fairly implemented because of the political weight of the oligarchs [help them get around the law].&quot;&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Giragosian adds that while there is political will to combat tax evasion, the government is threatening its own support base by going after the oligarchs &ndash; something that might be possible following the May parliament elections, but not before.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><b style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Debt burden</b><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">The country&#39;s large amount of outstanding foreign debt is adding to the problems by exacerbating the country&#39;s lack of income.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Tatoul Manasserian, head of the Alternative Research Center in Yerevan, said in an October presentation at the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) that the country&#39;s debt is near &quot;dangerous&quot; levels and requires more effective tax and customs policies.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">The PFA report says the government borrowed heavily following the 2008 crisis, but said it did little to bring economic relief to the country over the past three years. &quot;Armenia reacted to the crisis by a massive fiscal stimulus that was largely financed through external borrowing. However, not only did the stimulus not prevent the economy from nose-diving in 2009, but its effects were short-lived,&quot; the report states, noting the foreign debt is now 40% of the country&#39;s GDP.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Giragosian stresses that the staggering debt has left Armenia without a &quot;cushion&quot; for future shocks. &quot;The Armenian government&#39;s immediate response to the financial crisis was not typical &ndash; it did not [attempt] stimulating the economy or creating jobs programmes. It was an immediate response to seek foreign loans [from] the World Bank, IMF, Russia, Persian Gulf, China,&quot; he says. &quot;Now there is no one left to lend to the Armenian government&hellip; so there is no more cushion or source of [financing].&quot;&nbsp;</span></p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 532, 1038, 'und', 0, '<p><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \"><a href=\"http://www.bne.eu/story3284/Yelling_at_Yerevan\">Business New Europe</a>&nbsp;Magazine</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">February 27, 2012</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">If a series of reports on the Armenian economy are any indication of the country&#39;s fiscal health, it&#39;s going to be a tough year for Yerevan.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">A February report from the <strong>US-based think-tank Policy Forum Armenia (PFA)</strong>, entitled <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Crisis_Special_Report_0.pdf\">&quot;Armenia: Averting an Economic Catastrophe,&quot;</a> paints a dire picture of the country&#39;s prospects heading into 2012.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">It details a laundry list of economic ills that could create turmoil in the tiny South Caucasus nation, especially homegrown problems such as the probable devaluation of the dram and the government&#39;s tarnished legitimacy. &quot;An unsustainable de facto exchange rate peg and structural policies are resulting in massive external imbalances, which will eventually lead to abandonment of the peg with very serious implications for the over-exposed banking sector and already high public debt levels,&quot; the paper notes. &quot;The elements of the same crony capitalist practices&hellip; have been reinforced at the expense of growth, public health, education and national security.&quot;&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">&quot;Armenia&#39;s window of opportunity to build a viable economy and address its severe social and demographic problems is closing rapidly,&quot; it warns.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">PFA&#39;s negative assessment of the economy is just the most recent in a series of efforts to sound an alarm about Armenia&#39;s problems.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">In July,&nbsp;</span><i style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Forbes&nbsp;</i><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">magazine named Armenia the second worst economy in the world, after Madagascar. With inflation at 7% in 2011 and the economy still shaky after a 15% contraction in 2009, Armenia is &quot;struggling to keep up with the rest of the world,&quot; according to the magazine. Transparency International also weighed in, ranking Armenia at 129 out of 183 countries in its 2011 Corruption Perceptions Index. The World Bank&#39;s 2012 &quot;Doing Business&quot; report was only slightly more positive, bumping Armenia up six slots to rank 55 out of 183 economies due to reforms in starting a business, dealing with construction permits and getting credit. But the country continues to rank near the bottom of the list in paying taxes, resting at a low number 150.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Yerevan&#39;s struggles to control rampant tax evasion and an entrenched &quot;cronyism capitalism&quot; have amplified the country&#39;s problems, according to the PFA report. &quot;There are widespread concerns about corruption in the tax and customs agency, as well as about failures to collect taxes from government-connected oligarchs,&quot; the report states, noting that tax reforms stop short of forcing &quot;top government officials and parliamentarians&quot; to comply. &quot;In all, several hundred million dollars are embezzled annually in the form of non-payment of taxes and outright budgetary theft,&quot; it estimates.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Tax revenue is just 16.3% of GDP in Armenia, compared with 24.9% in Georgia and 31.4% in Moldova, according to IMF statistics provided by the report.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Tax evasion is &quot;now a direct threat to the state,&quot; notes analyst Richard Giragosian, the director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC) in Yerevan. &quot;The so-called oligarchs&hellip; are not paying taxes,&quot; he says, noting they are mainly commodities-based cartels that control the supply of imported goods. &quot;They are undermining the state.&quot;&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">New tax reform is good on paper, but bad on implementation, Giragosian notes. &quot;The [tax] reforms are quite good on paper. The problem is in the implementation, not in the formulation. They are not implemented adequately across the board. They are not fairly implemented because of the political weight of the oligarchs [help them get around the law].&quot;&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Giragosian adds that while there is political will to combat tax evasion, the government is threatening its own support base by going after the oligarchs &ndash; something that might be possible following the May parliament elections, but not before.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><b style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Debt burden</b><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">The country&#39;s large amount of outstanding foreign debt is adding to the problems by exacerbating the country&#39;s lack of income.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Tatoul Manasserian, head of the Alternative Research Center in Yerevan, said in an October presentation at the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) that the country&#39;s debt is near &quot;dangerous&quot; levels and requires more effective tax and customs policies.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">The PFA report says the government borrowed heavily following the 2008 crisis, but said it did little to bring economic relief to the country over the past three years. &quot;Armenia reacted to the crisis by a massive fiscal stimulus that was largely financed through external borrowing. However, not only did the stimulus not prevent the economy from nose-diving in 2009, but its effects were short-lived,&quot; the report states, noting the foreign debt is now 40% of the country&#39;s GDP.&nbsp;</span><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><br style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \" /><span style=\"font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Giragosian stresses that the staggering debt has left Armenia without a &quot;cushion&quot; for future shocks. &quot;The Armenian government&#39;s immediate response to the financial crisis was not typical &ndash; it did not [attempt] stimulating the economy or creating jobs programmes. It was an immediate response to seek foreign loans [from] the World Bank, IMF, Russia, Persian Gulf, China,&quot; he says. &quot;Now there is no one left to lend to the Armenian government&hellip; so there is no more cushion or source of [financing].&quot;&nbsp;</span></p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'profile', 0, 533, 1000, 'und', 0, 'Diana Khachaturyan holds a graduate degree from Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University. Currently, she is a graduate student at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy in North Carolina, USA. She specializes in International Development Policy, a program designed for mid-career professionals. While attending the school she also works as Teaching Assistant for both Economic Foundation for Development course at Sanford School, and executive training program for Kazakh governmental officials at Duke Center of International Development. Prior to starting her graduate studies Diana had worked in development and security field focusing on such issues as peace-building, conflict management, human rights, human trafficking, child sexual abuse, HIV/AIDS prevention, women empowerment and community mobilization. Her current professional and research interests include peace and security, demographic security, migration, diasporas for development, energy security, education, women and children empowerment.', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'event', 0, 534, 1007, 'und', 0, '<p>On January 19, 2013, Policy Forum Armenia made a presentation entitled &ldquo;To Be or Not To Be: Elections, the Rule of Law, and Governance in Armenia&rdquo; during the Armenian Bar Association&rsquo;s 2013 Winter Meeting in Las Vegas. The presentation, which largely drew upon PFA&#39;s latest reports on the&nbsp;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">2012 parliamentary election</a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenia-averting-economic-catastrophe\">economic conditions</a>, and&nbsp;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/state-armenias-environment\">the state of the environment</a>, aimed to demonstrate that the fraudulent elections taking place in Armenia in recent years and the resulting lack of accountability and poor governance are the primary factors behind the country&#39;s dismal social/economic conditions and ongoing mismanagement of environmental resources.</p><p>The presentation followed by a lecture by Professor Richard Hovannisian (UCLA) as well as luncheon speaches by ABA Chairman, Garo Ghazarian, former Chairman, Edvin Minasian, and Armenian National Committee of America&#39;s&nbsp;Government Affairs Director,&nbsp;Kate Nahapetian. &nbsp;</p><p><strong><a href=\"http://www.armenianbar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Armenian Bar Association (ABA)</a>&nbsp;</strong>was formed in 1989 to provide an arena for lawyers of Armenian heritage to come together socially and professionally and to address the legal concerns of the Armenian community. With the creation of an independent Republic of Armenia, the Association undertook the task of helping to build and encourage the growth of democratic institutions in Armenia. More information about the event is available from&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"http://www.armenianbar.com/events/details/161\" target=\"_blank\">the ABA&rsquo;s website</a></strong>.</p><p>Pictures from the event are available from the&nbsp;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/media-gallery/presentation-pfa-reports-aba-meeting\"><strong>Photo Gallery</strong></a>.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1026, 'und', 0, '<p>&nbsp;</p><table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"width:907px;\" width=\"680\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"width:33px;height:20px;\"><p>To:</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:874px;height:20px;\"><p>OSCE/ODIHR:</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini, Head of EOM (2013);&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; Stefan Krause, Deputy Head of EOM;</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; Radmila Šekerinska, Head of EOM (2012);</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; Thomas Rymer, Spokesperson.</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:33px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:874px;height:20px;\"><p>OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; Tina Schoen, Deputy Secretary General;</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; Neil Simon, Director of Communications.</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:33px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:874px;height:20px;\"><p>Council of Europe Office in Armenia: Silvia Zehe, Head of Office</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:33px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:874px;height:20px;\"><p>Delegation of the European Union to Armenia: Traian Hristea, Head of Delegation</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:33px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:874px;height:20px;\"><p>European Parliament: Emilia Gallego Perona, Member</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:33px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:874px;height:20px;\"><p>European Union&#39;s High Representative Catherine Ashton</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:33px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:874px;height:20px;\"><p>European Union&#39;s Commissioner Štefan Füle</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:33px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:874px;height:20px;\"><p>PACE Interparliamentary Co-operation and Election Observation: Baroness Nicholson, Head of the Delegation</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:33px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:874px;height:20px;\"><p>Inter-parliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the CIS: Alexey Sergeev, Secretary General</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:33px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:874px;height:20px;\"><p>Eastern Partnership&rsquo;s Civil Society Forum Steering Committee: Krzystof Bobinski, Member</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:33px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:874px;height:20px;\"><p>International expert Center for&nbsp;Electoral&nbsp;Systems: Alexander Tsinker, President</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS </strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>PFA Executive Board</p><p>Washington/Yerevan/Los Angeles</p><p>&nbsp;</p><table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"width:907px;\" width=\"680\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>Cc:</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia: Hon. Gagik Harutyunyan, President</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Office of the Human Rights Defender: Karen Andreasyan, Human Rights Defender</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:10px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:10px;\">&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Armenian National Movement: Aram Manukyan , President</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Armenian Revolutionary Federation: Armen Rustamyan, Member of the Central Committee</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Free Democrats: Khachatur Qoqobelyan, President</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Heritage Party: Raffi Hovannisian, Chairman</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Liberty Party: &nbsp;Hrant Bagratyan, President</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>New Times Party: Aram Karapetyan, President</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>People&#39;s Party of Armenia: Stepan Demitchyan, President</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Republic Party: Aram Sargsyan, President of the Political Council</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Social Democrat Hunchakian Party: Lyudmila Sargsyan, President</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Sardarapat movement: Jirayr Sefilian, Coordinator</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Union of National Self-Determination: Paruyr Hayrikyan, President</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Prosperous Armenia Party: Gagik Tsarukyan, President</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Republican Party of Armenia: Mushegh Lalayan, Vice President</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:9px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:9px;\">&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>53 Armenian Diaspora organizations world-wide</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:10px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:10px;\">&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Embassy of France in Armenia: Ambassador M. Henri Reynaud</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Embassy of Germany in Armenia: Ambassador Reiner Morrel</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Embassy of Great Britain in Armenia: Ambassadors Jonathan Aves and Katherine Leach</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Embassy of Greece in Armenia: Ambassador Ioannis Taghis</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Embassy of Italy in Armenia: Ambassador Bruno Scapini</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Embassy of Lithuania in Armenia: Ambassador Giedrius Apuokas</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Embassy of Poland in Armenia: Ambassador Zdzislaw Raczynski</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Embassy of Romania in Armenia: Ambassador Dna. Rodica Crina Prunariu</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Embassy of the Russian Federation in Armenia: Ambassador Vyacheslav Kovalenko</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Embassy of the United States in Armenia: Ambassador John A. Heffern</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>OSCE Office in Yerevan: Ambassador Andrey Sorokin</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>UN Armenia: Consuelo Vidal, Resident Coordinator</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"width:36px;height:20px;\"><p>&nbsp;</p></td><td nowrap=\"nowrap\" style=\"width:871px;height:20px;\"><p>Office of the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus (Yerevan): Maciej DACHOWSKI, Representative</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>&nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1039, 'und', 0, '<p><span style=\"color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) has issued an urgent appeal to international observer missions in&nbsp;connection&nbsp;to the upcoming presidential election in Armenia. Read the appeal here.</span><span style=\"background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">&nbsp;</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1040, 'und', 0, '<p><span style=\"color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) has issued an urgent appeal to international observer missions in&nbsp;connection&nbsp;to the upcoming presidential election in Armenia. Read the appeal here.</span></p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1042, 'und', 0, 'Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) has issued an urgent appeal to international observer missions in connection to the upcoming presidential election in Armenia. Read the appeal here.', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1043, 'und', 0, '<p>&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS </strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><p><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></p><p>Washington/Yerevan/Los Angeles</p>', '', 'full_html');
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('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1044, 'und', 0, '<p>&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS </strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Yerevan/Los Angeles</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1045, 'und', 0, '<p>&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS </strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Yerevan/Los Angeles</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1047, 'und', 0, '<p>&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS </strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Yerevan/Los Angeles</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_0.pdf\">Download the appel in PDF</a></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1048, 'und', 0, '<p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS </strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Yerevan/Los Angeles</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_0.pdf\">Download the appel in PDF</a></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1049, 'und', 0, '<p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS </strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Yerevan/Los Angeles</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_0.pdf\">Download the appel in PDF</a></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1050, 'und', 0, '<p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Yerevan/Los Angeles</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_0.pdf\">Download the appel in PDF</a></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1051, 'und', 0, '<p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Yerevan/Los Angeles</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_0.pdf\">Download the appel in PDF</a></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1052, 'und', 0, '<p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Yerevan/Los Angeles</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_0.pdf\">Download the Letter in PDF</a></strong></div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1053, 'und', 0, '<p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_0.pdf\">Download the Letter in PDF</a></strong></div>', '', 'full_html');
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('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1054, 'und', 0, '<p style=\"\">&nbsp;</p><div><span style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;\">For the list of addressees download the original letter in PDF</span></div><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan</div><div>&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1055, 'und', 0, '<p style=\"\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-weight: bold;\">For the list of addressees download the original letter in PDF</span></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan</div><div>&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1056, 'und', 0, '<p style=\"\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-weight: bold;\">For the list of addressees download the original letter in PDF</span></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan</div><div>&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1058, 'und', 0, '<p style=\"\"><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_1.pdf\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-weight: bold;\">For the list of addressees download the original letter in PDF</span></a></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan</div><div>&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1059, 'und', 0, '<p style=\"\"><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_1.pdf\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-weight: bold;\">For the list of addressees download the original letter in PDF</span></a></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan</div><div>&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1060, 'und', 0, '<p style=\"\"><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_1.pdf\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-weight: bold;\">For the list of addressees download the original letter in PDF</span></a></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan</div><div>&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1061, 'und', 0, '<p style=\"\"><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_1.pdf\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-weight: bold;\">For the list of addressees download the original letter in PDF</span></a></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan</div><div>&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1062, 'und', 0, '<p style=\"\"><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_1.pdf\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-weight: bold;\">For the list of addressees download the original letter in PDF</span></a></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan</div><div>&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1063, 'und', 0, '<p style=\"\"><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_1.pdf\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-weight: bold;\">For the list of addressees download the original letter in PDF</span></a></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan</div><div>&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html');
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('node', 'press_release', 0, 544, 1064, 'und', 0, '<p style=\"\"><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Letter%20to%20International%20Observers%20January%202013_1.pdf\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-weight: bold;\">For the list of addressees download the original letter in PDF</span></a></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>AN URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ELECTION MONITORS&nbsp;</strong><strong>TO ENHANCE FRAUD DETECTION IN ARMENIA</strong></p><p><strong>De</strong><strong>ar Fellow Stakeholders:</strong></p><p>In light of the upcoming February 2013 Presidential election in the Republic of Armenia, we are writing to bring to your urgent attention the latest Special Report by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA). The findings therein highlight our concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the country&mdash;as observed during the May 2012 Parliamentary Election&mdash;and its implications going forward.</p><p>The Report, entitled &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;, is available in its entirety at <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org\">http://www.pf-armenia.org</a>. In sum, it demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.</p><p>In addressing the international observer community, the Report makes the following recommendations:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Election fraud in Armenia has adapted to monitoring pressures and is now nearly impossible to detect through typical monitoring approaches. To substantially reduce it, new criteria for assessing election conduct should be established and more candid assessment of the political will, or lack thereof, to conduct freer elections should be made.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; International observers could benefit from a more comprehensive briefing about Armenia&rsquo;s political-economic landscape and history of election fraud.</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resources permitting, more observers should be dispatched to areas outside of Yerevan, where incidents of fraudulent voter counting and voter list abuse were found to be the highest.</p><p>Given the growing sophistication of election fraud in Armenia, the country&rsquo;s electorate and the Armenian Diaspora will likely rely on international observers more than before to properly assess election results in the country.</p><p>However, if these new methods of election fraud are allowed to persist the legitimacy of the election outcome in Armenia will continue to be questioned despite declared &ldquo;progress&rdquo;. Moreover, the credibility of international observers as a force for positive change may be undermined when assessments fail to point that bribery, voter intimidation, and voter list fraud are effectively used as counterweights to free and fair elections.</p><p>This situation in Armenia is unlikely to remain sustainable. Disenfranchised citizens may lose faith in the election process altogether and seek alternative ways to express their constitutionally granted right to govern the country, potentially leading to political instability. Yet, unless remedies are put in place prior to Election Day, we expect the well-concealed abuses of the electoral system to continue during the February 2013 presidential election.</p><p>To that end, PFA is prepared to assist you and your colleagues in these specific areas:</p><p>&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify the worst-offender polling stations based on the 2012 election outcome to help the observer missions zoom in on them;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide a list of suitable potential observers, who speak and understand fluent Armenian and English;</p><p>&bull; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conduct voter list audits prior to the upcoming election.</p><p>All in all, we hope you will have an opportunity to study PFA&rsquo;s report and urge you to take concrete steps to enhance your fraud-detection techniques in time for the February election. We and other concerned stakeholders worldwide would appreciate being informed of those steps.</p><p>We thank you for your consideration of this urgent appeal and look forward to hearing from you regarding our offer to assist. Please contact us directly by email at <a href=\"mailto:forum@pf-armenia.org\">forum@pf-armenia.org</a> or at the mailing address above.&nbsp;</p><p>PFA is an independent professional non-profit organization aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&#39;s economic development and national security and through that helping to shape public policy in Armenia. Its main objective is to offer alternative views and professional analysis containing innovative and practical recommendations for public policy design and implementation.</p><div><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/executive-board\">PFA Executive Board</a></div><div>Washington/Los Angeles/Yerevan</div><div>&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'event', 0, 550, 1065, 'und', 0, '<div style=\"text-align: center; \"><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"line-height: 14.25pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; \">A roster of prominent local and Armenian speakers, at the maiden public gathering of the nascent Armenian Renaissance of Toronto (ART) movement on Feb. 8, called for a &quot;One Nation&quot; unified effort by the Diaspora and Armenia to help bring about a democratic, strong and prosperous Armenia. The nascent ART is a founding member of the new Diaspora movement whose aim is the peaceful promotion of good governance in Armenia.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">The speakers--Aram Adamyan, Dr. Berge Minassian, Viken Attarian, and Dr. Zareh Ouzounian (from Canada); Dr. David Grigorian and Dr. Zaven Kalaydjian from the Washington-based&nbsp;Policy Forum Armenia think tank; as well as activists Yeghia Nersesian and Alec Yenikomshian of Armenia agreed that the Diaspora can help bring about positive and fundamental change in Armenian governance.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">Adamyan, who also acted as MC, said that the separation, which had existed between Soviet Armenia and the Diaspora, continued following Armenia&#39;s independence, despite hopes that the Armenian nation would finally become one. He said the Diaspora has extensive and multifarious resources which Armenia desperately needs. It&#39;s time for Armenians in the Diaspora to connect through people-to-people links with their brothers and sisters in the Armenian homeland.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">Dr. Zareh Ouzounian, one of the key figures in the establishment of Armenian Renaissance in Canada, said: &quot;The very destiny of our nation is directly dependent on the survival of our motherland. Not the mere survival of the Armenian state, but its growth and development into a just, prosperous and powerful state.&quot;</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">He called for equal rights in Armenia, for truly democratic elections, improved governance and a responsible approach to environmental issues.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">The words &quot;change&quot; and &quot;hope&quot; have reappeared in the lexicon of the Armenian street and dozens of civic and reform movements have already emerged and are starting to raise their voices, said Dr. Ouzounian. &quot;Their sympathizers already number in tens of thousands...they are taking full advantage of modern technology and social media to raise their concerns,&quot; he added.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">These reform movements have created a new structure in the form of an all-inclusive pre-parliament (&quot;nakhakhorhrdaran&quot;) whose first objective is &quot;to develop and to articulate the platform of policies to govern the New Future Armenia...&quot; he said.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">While pointing out that meaningful change can only come from within Armenia, a strong, committed and engaged Diaspora support &quot;would go a long way in providing a supportive network, specific expertise and advice,&quot; said Dr. Ouzounian and added that the new, energized, engaged Diaspora is the Armenian Renaissance. Associate groups similar to ART are now sprouting in Los Angeles, Paris, Berlin, and Beirut.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">He admitted that the Armenian Renaissance of Toronto and AR movements around the globe do not have precise medium- or long-term road maps of actions they would take, but that they are working to develop strategies consistent with their mission. &quot;Whether it is by organizing informative lectures and debates, whether by signing petitions or organizing protests, whether it is by participating with our individual expertise and skills, Renaissance will be an action network, and not a discussion forum,&quot; stressed Dr. Ouzounian.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">&quot;Wherever we live, the New Future Armenia is our collective responsibility. If we truly believe we are ONE Nation, we, in the Diaspora, have the right and the duty to support the grass-roots civil society movements that will shape the New Future Armenia,&quot; he said.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">Viken Attarian, a prominent intellectual and community leader in Montreal pointed out to the audience that the challenge in Armenia, as elsewhere, is how to maintain democratic rule. Once established, democracy requires constant care and attention, otherwise it could vanish. Social activism, civic movements, the free exchange of ideas are signals of a healthy democracy. &quot;The hundreds of thousands of Armenian citizens, who are committed to these ideals, are the guarantors of the flourishing democracy in Armenia,&quot; he said.&nbsp; Attarian cited the work of scholar and author Daron Acemyan, an Armenian citizen of Turkey as a key in understanding why certain contemporary states succeed while others fail.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">Because for centuries many Armenians have lived outside Armenia, a significant percentage of Diaspora Armenians don&#39;t consider Armenia their homeland.&nbsp; &quot;We should feel that we are a successful movement when most Diasporans regard Armenia as their homeland,&quot; he said.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">He also defined the sharp difference between the concept of citizenship and nationality. Because for centuries many Armenians have lived outside Armenia, most Diasporans consider themselves citizens rather than members of the national group of the countries they reside.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">Attarian drew the audience&#39;s attention to a prominent and worrisome difference between the Canadian Charter of Rights and freedoms and the Armenian Constitution. He said that there were so many exceptions or &quot;notwithstanding clauses&quot; in the Armenian Constitution that a future law could easily nullify the freedoms and rights &quot;guaranteed&quot; by the Constitution. He called for inviolable rights and freedoms to be imbedded in the Armenian Constitution.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">Dr. Berge Minassian, a founding member of Armenian Renaissance, said that a state governed democratically and with the rule of law is essential to the survival of Armenia, and therefore to the Armenian nation. &quot;We believe such a state will come about through the efforts of Armenians living in our homeland. The Armenian Renaissance movement is a reaction to the realization that Diaspora Armenians can buttress, support, and sustain the civil society movements for peaceful change taking place in Armenia.&quot;</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">Dr. Minassian said that positive change is necessary and urgent. &quot;The Diaspora can&#39;t abdicate its responsibility to help those working in Armenia to effectuate democratic change.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">&quot;</span><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">Dr. David Grigorian and Dr. Zaven Kalaydjian, who were scheduled to address the gathering, could not attend in person due to a severe snowstorm. Speaking via Skype, they presented an informative forensic analysis of the 2012 parliamentary elections in Armenia and cited the various research activities, conferences, and reports that the PFA undertakes. Dr. Grigorian said the PFA is comprised of more than 60 professionals across the globe, who volunteer their expertise and time to analyze Armenia-related developments and offer alternative views on those. Through YouTube, environmental activist Yeghia Nersesian and Sardarapat spokesman, Alec Yenikomshian, described their activities in Armenia.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">Nersesian invited Diaspora Armenians to join Armenians in the homeland to realize a &quot;renaissance of the Armenian nation.&quot; Echoing the other speakers, Yenikomshian also emphasized the key role of the Diaspora in rebuilding a progressive and democratic political system in Armenia.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 14.25pt; \">Flyers, including the vision and mission statement of ART, as well as links to democratic, civic, environmental group websites, were distributed to the audience which had braved one of the worst storms in the city&#39;s recent history.</span></div><div style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 19px; font-size: 0.875em; font-family: Georgia, \'Times New Roman\', Times, serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; \"><span style=\"line-height: 14.25pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; \">For other inquiries, please check the Armenian Renaissance website:&nbsp;</span><a href=\"http://www.armenian-renaissance.org/\" style=\"line-height: 14.25pt; font-family: Georgia, serif; outline: none; text-decoration: initial; \"><span style=\"color:#31827D\">www.armenian-renaissance.org</span></a></div><div style=\"margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; \"><o:p></o:p></div><p style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px; font-size: 0.875em; text-align: left; \">&nbsp;</p></div>', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 551, 1081, 'und', 0, '<p><span style=\"font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 18px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: \'lucida grande\', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; \">In a report entitled&nbsp;</span><a href=\"http://www.nuim.ie/nirsa/diaspora/PDFs/Armenia%20report%202011.pdf\" style=\"color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 18px; font-family: \'lucida grande\', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; \" target=\"_blank\">Diaspora Strategies in Transition States: Prospects and Opportunities for Armenia</a><span style=\"color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">,&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 18px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: \'lucida grande\', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; \">presented to the Armenian government in 2011, professors Rob Kitchin and Mark Boyle of the National University of Ireland listed the following as Priority No. 1 for Armenia in its efforts to enhance cooperation with the Diaspora</span><span style=\"font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 18px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: \'lucida grande\', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; \">: &quot;Armenia needs to continue to work collaboratively with the diaspora so to harness to the resources, energy and self-organizing capacities of the diaspora. Its new and strong institutions capacities notwithstanding, it must work find a way to bring its new diaspora planning infrastructure into partnership with the diaspora.&nbsp;<b>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA)</b>&nbsp;which has hosted two conferences thus far in Yerevan (2009) and Washington (2010) provides an important vehicle for dialogue&quot; (see page 34 of the attached report).</span></p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 551, 1082, 'und', 0, '<p><span style=\"font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 18px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: \'lucida grande\', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; \">In a report entitled&nbsp;</span><strong><a href=\"http://www.nuim.ie/nirsa/diaspora/PDFs/Armenia%20report%202011.pdf\" style=\"color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 18px; font-family: \'lucida grande\', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; \" target=\"_blank\">Diaspora Strategies in Transition States: Prospects and Opportunities for Armenia</a></strong><span style=\"color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">,&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 18px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: \'lucida grande\', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; \">presented to the Armenian government in 2011, professors Rob Kitchin and Mark Boyle of the National University of Ireland listed the following as Priority No. 1 for Armenia in its efforts to enhance cooperation with the Diaspora</span><span style=\"font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 18px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: \'lucida grande\', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; \">: &quot;<em>Armenia needs to continue to work collaboratively with the diaspora so to harness to the resources, energy and self-organizing capacities of the diaspora. Its new and strong institutions capacities notwithstanding, it must work find a way to bring its new diaspora planning infrastructure into partnership with the diaspora.&nbsp;<b>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA)</b>&nbsp;which has hosted two conferences thus far in Yerevan (2009) and Washington (2010) provides an important vehicle for dialogue</em>&quot; (p. 34).</span></p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 551, 1083, 'und', 0, '<p>&nbsp;</p><p>In a report entitled&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"http://www.nuim.ie/nirsa/diaspora/PDFs/Armenia%20report%202011.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Diaspora Strategies in Transition States: Prospects and Opportunities for Armenia</a></strong>,&nbsp;presented to the Armenian government in 2011, professors Rob Kitchin and Mark Boyle of the National University of Ireland listed the following as Priority No. 1 for Armenia in its efforts to enhance cooperation with the Diaspora: &quot;<em>Armenia needs to continue to work collaboratively with the diaspora so to harness to the resources, energy and self-organizing capacities of the diaspora. Its new and strong institutions capacities notwithstanding, it must work find a way to bring its new diaspora planning infrastructure into partnership with the diaspora.&nbsp;<strong>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA)</strong>&nbsp;which has hosted two conferences thus far in Yerevan (2009) and Washington (2010) provides an important vehicle for dialogue</em>&quot; (p. 34).</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'profile', 0, 552, 1084, 'und', 0, 'Julia Nikogosian is a graduate student of the interdisciplinary Master’s program - “Europe: Integration and Globalization” - at the Philipp University of Marburg. Her interests include international trade and international security issues. For her Master’s thesis she does research on determinants of economic sanctions’ success and failure. She has a B.A. in Political and Social Studies from the Julius-Maximilian University of Wuerzburg.\r\n', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1117, 'und', 0, '<p>&nbsp;</p><p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>February 22, 2013</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia Publishes the Results of Its Preliminary Analysis on </strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>February 18, 2013 Presidential Election in Armenia</strong></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election. Please download it here. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1119, 'und', 0, '<p>&nbsp;</p><p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>February 22, 2013</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia Publishes the Results of Its Preliminary Analysis on </strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>February 18, 2013 Presidential Election in Armenia</strong></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election. Please <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Statement%20.pdf\">download it here</a>. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1120, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>February 22, 2013</p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia Publishes the Results of Its Preliminary Analysis on </strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>February 18, 2013 Presidential Election in Armenia</strong></p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election. Please <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Statement%20.pdf\">download it here</a>. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1121, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>February 22, 2013</p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia Publishes the Results of Its Preliminary Analysis on </strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>February 18, 2013 Presidential Election in Armenia</strong></p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election. Please <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Statement%20.pdf\">download it here</a>. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1122, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>February 22, 2013</p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia Publishes the Results of Its Preliminary Analysis on</strong><strong>February 18, 2013 Presidential Election in Armenia</strong></p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election. Please <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Statement%20.pdf\">download it here</a>. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1123, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>February 22, 2013</p><p align=\"center\">&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>Policy Forum Armenia Publishes the Results of Its Preliminary Analysis on</strong><strong>February 18, 2013 Presidential Election in Armenia</strong></p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election. Please <strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Statement%20.pdf\">download it here</a></strong>. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1124, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis&mdash;which we summarize below&mdash;confirms the following:</p><ul><li>Presence of a significant and systemic effort to artificially inflate the voter turnout (<strong>Figure 1, Panel 1</strong>). The deviations from the expected pattern (i.e., the normal or Gaussian distribution) appear to be larger than those found in our analysis of the 2008 Presidential Election (see Figure 1 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>This turnout-enhancing fraud was conducted on behalf of the incumbent, Serge Sargsyan, and against the main challenger, Raffi Hovannisian (<strong>Figure 1, Panels 1 and 2</strong>). The deviations from the expected pattern are massive and exceed the range found during the 2008 election (see Figure 2 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>In addition to artificially inflating the voter turnout, votes cast in favor of Raffi Hovannisian and other opposition candidates were fraudulently assigned to Serge Sargsyan: for every 100 ballots cast in polling stations with artificially high voter turnout, Serge Sargsyan received 105 votes (as measured by the slope of the straight line on <strong>Figure 2, Panel 1</strong>).</li></ul><ul><li>Voter turnout was inflated by ballot stuffing, among other means. As shown on <strong>Figure 2, Panel 3</strong>, the number of invalid ballots declined asthe voter turnout increased, a clear sign of ballot stuffing. This result contrasts with the findings of the 2012 Parliamentary Election, where ballot stuffing was not found to be a major factor (See PFA&rsquo;s report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>There are indications that invalid ballots were counted in favor of the incumbent (<strong>Figure 2, Panel 4</strong>). The share of votes assigned to Serge Sargsyan is larger in polling stations where the ratio of ballots treated as &ldquo;invalid&rdquo; is lower.</li></ul><ul><li>There is strong evidence of vote-counting fraud in polling stations in rural areas. The digit tests (<strong>Figure 3</strong>) reveal signs of human interference in voter counting (e.g., reassigning of ballots from one candidate to another, etc.) as measured by a significant deviation from the uniform distribution (of votes cast in favor of two front-runners) in polling stations outside of Yerevan and Gyumri.</li></ul><p>All in all, we conclude that in polling stations not affected by falsifications, the main opposition candidate, Raffi Hovannisian, shows a lead of at least 4 percent of the vote. This, however, is likely to be the lower bound of the difference between the two front-runners, because of the extent of violations in favor of Serge Sargsyan, as mentioned earlier.</p><p>This analysis challenges&mdash;in the strongest possible way&mdash;the official version of the events, the statement of the OSCE-ODIHR observer mission, and the reports in Western media outlets about the extent of violations that took place on February 18, 2013.</p><p>Our results strongly indicate that the final outcome of February 2013 election was subject to massive manipulations and interference and did not reflect the free will of the Armenian citizens.</p><p>They also call into question the role of foreign election observers in the Armenian context, specifically their impartiality and ability to detect election fraud that is becoming ever more sophisticated.</p><p>We strongly encourage Raffi Hovannisian and his supporters to forcefully pursue either a system-wide recount of ballots (which would undoubtedly reduce the share of the incumbent&rsquo;s votes and lead to the second round election) or a complete annulment of the election outcome, as the only ways forward for the country and its people.</p><p align=\"center\">For the full test of the Press Release, including Figures, please <strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Statement%20.pdf\">visit here</a></strong>. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1125, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis&mdash;which we summarize below&mdash;confirms the following:</p><ul><li>Presence of a significant and systemic effort to artificially inflate the voter turnout (<strong>Figure 1, Panel 1</strong>). The deviations from the expected pattern (i.e., the normal or Gaussian distribution) appear to be larger than those found in our analysis of the 2008 Presidential Election (see Figure 1 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>This turnout-enhancing fraud was conducted on behalf of the incumbent, Serge Sargsyan, and against the main challenger, Raffi Hovannisian (<strong>Figure 1, Panels 1 and 2</strong>). The deviations from the expected pattern are massive and exceed the range found during the 2008 election (see Figure 2 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>In addition to artificially inflating the voter turnout, votes cast in favor of Raffi Hovannisian and other opposition candidates were fraudulently assigned to Serge Sargsyan: for every 100 ballots cast in polling stations with artificially high voter turnout, Serge Sargsyan received 105 votes (as measured by the slope of the straight line on <strong>Figure 2, Panel 1</strong>).</li></ul><ul><li>Voter turnout was inflated by ballot stuffing, among other means. As shown on <strong>Figure 2, Panel 3</strong>, the number of invalid ballots declined asthe voter turnout increased, a clear sign of ballot stuffing. This result contrasts with the findings of the 2012 Parliamentary Election, where ballot stuffing was not found to be a major factor (See PFA&rsquo;s report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>There are indications that invalid ballots were counted in favor of the incumbent (<strong>Figure 2, Panel 4</strong>). The share of votes assigned to Serge Sargsyan is larger in polling stations where the ratio of ballots treated as &ldquo;invalid&rdquo; is lower.</li></ul><ul><li>There is strong evidence of vote-counting fraud in polling stations in rural areas. The digit tests (<strong>Figure 3</strong>) reveal signs of human interference in voter counting (e.g., reassigning of ballots from one candidate to another, etc.) as measured by a significant deviation from the uniform distribution (of votes cast in favor of two front-runners) in polling stations outside of Yerevan and Gyumri.</li></ul><p>All in all, we conclude that in polling stations not affected by falsifications, the main opposition candidate, Raffi Hovannisian, shows a lead of at least 4 percent of the vote. This, however, is likely to be the lower bound of the difference between the two front-runners, because of the extent of violations in favor of Serge Sargsyan, as mentioned earlier.</p><p>This analysis challenges&mdash;in the strongest possible way&mdash;the official version of the events, the statement of the OSCE-ODIHR observer mission, and the reports in Western media outlets about the extent of violations that took place on February 18, 2013.</p><p>Our results strongly indicate that the final outcome of February 2013 election was subject to massive manipulations and interference and did not reflect the free will of the Armenian citizens.</p><p>They also call into question the role of foreign election observers in the Armenian context, specifically their impartiality and ability to detect election fraud that is becoming ever more sophisticated.</p><p>We strongly encourage Raffi Hovannisian and his supporters to forcefully pursue either a system-wide recount of ballots (which would undoubtedly reduce the share of the incumbent&rsquo;s votes and lead to the second round election) or a complete annulment of the election outcome, as the only ways forward for the country and its people.</p><p align=\"center\">For the full test of the Press Release, including Figures, please <strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Statement%20.pdf\">visit here</a></strong>. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1129, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis&mdash;which we summarize below&mdash;confirms the following:</p><ul><li>Presence of a significant and systemic effort to artificially inflate the voter turnout (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panel 1</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern (i.e., the normal or Gaussian distribution) appear to be larger than those found in our analysis of the 2008 Presidential Election (see Figure 1 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>This turnout-enhancing fraud was conducted on behalf of the incumbent, Serge Sargsyan, and against the main challenger, Raffi Hovannisian (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panels 1 and 2</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern are massive and exceed the range found during the 2008 election (see Figure 2 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>In addition to artificially inflating the voter turnout, votes cast in favor of Raffi Hovannisian and other opposition candidates were fraudulently assigned to Serge Sargsyan: for every 100 ballots cast in polling stations with artificially high voter turnout, Serge Sargsyan received 105 votes (as measured by the slope of the straight line on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 1</strong></a>).</li></ul><ul><li>Voter turnout was inflated by ballot stuffing, among other means. As shown on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 3</strong></a>, the number of invalid ballots declined asthe voter turnout increased, a clear sign of ballot stuffing. This result contrasts with the findings of the 2012 Parliamentary Election, where ballot stuffing was not found to be a major factor (See PFA&rsquo;s report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>There are indications that invalid ballots were counted in favor of the incumbent (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 4</strong></a>). The share of votes assigned to Serge Sargsyan is larger in polling stations where the ratio of ballots treated as &ldquo;invalid&rdquo; is lower.</li></ul><ul><li>There is strong evidence of vote-counting fraud in polling stations in rural areas. The digit tests (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%203.pdf\"><strong>Figure 3</strong></a>) reveal signs of human interference in voter counting (e.g., reassigning of ballots from one candidate to another, etc.) as measured by a significant deviation from the uniform distribution (of votes cast in favor of two front-runners) in polling stations outside of Yerevan and Gyumri.</li></ul><p>All in all, we conclude that in polling stations not affected by falsifications, the main opposition candidate, Raffi Hovannisian, shows a lead of at least 4 percent of the vote. This, however, is likely to be the lower bound of the difference between the two front-runners, because of the extent of violations in favor of Serge Sargsyan, as mentioned earlier.</p><p>This analysis challenges&mdash;in the strongest possible way&mdash;the official version of the events, the statement of the OSCE-ODIHR observer mission, and the reports in Western media outlets about the extent of violations that took place on February 18, 2013.</p><p>Our results strongly indicate that the final outcome of February 2013 election was subject to massive manipulations and interference and did not reflect the free will of the Armenian citizens.</p><p>They also call into question the role of foreign election observers in the Armenian context, specifically their impartiality and ability to detect election fraud that is becoming ever more sophisticated.</p><p>We strongly encourage Raffi Hovannisian and his supporters to forcefully pursue either a system-wide recount of ballots (which would undoubtedly reduce the share of the incumbent&rsquo;s votes and lead to the second round election) or a complete annulment of the election outcome, as the only ways forward for the country and its people.</p><p align=\"center\">For the full test of the Press Release, including Figures, please <strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Statement%20.pdf\">visit here</a></strong>. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1132, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis&mdash;which we summarize below&mdash;confirms the following:</p><ul><li>Presence of a significant and systemic effort to artificially inflate the voter turnout (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panel 1</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern (i.e., the normal or Gaussian distribution) appear to be larger than those found in our analysis of the 2008 Presidential Election (see Figure 1 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>This turnout-enhancing fraud was conducted on behalf of the incumbent, Serge Sargsyan, and against the main challenger, Raffi Hovannisian (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panels 1 and 2</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern are massive and exceed the range found during the 2008 election (see Figure 2 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>In addition to artificially inflating the voter turnout, votes cast in favor of Raffi Hovannisian and other opposition candidates were fraudulently assigned to Serge Sargsyan: for every 100 ballots cast in polling stations with artificially high voter turnout, Serge Sargsyan received 105 votes (as measured by the slope of the straight line on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 1</strong></a>).</li></ul><ul><li>Voter turnout was inflated by ballot stuffing, among other means. As shown on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 3</strong></a>, the number of invalid ballots declined asthe voter turnout increased, a clear sign of ballot stuffing. This result contrasts with the findings of the 2012 Parliamentary Election, where ballot stuffing was not found to be a major factor (See PFA&rsquo;s report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>There are indications that invalid ballots were counted in favor of the incumbent (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 4</strong></a>). The share of votes assigned to Serge Sargsyan is larger in polling stations where the ratio of ballots treated as &ldquo;invalid&rdquo; is lower.</li></ul><ul><li>There is strong evidence of vote-counting fraud in polling stations in rural areas. The digit tests (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%203.pdf\"><strong>Figure 3</strong></a>) reveal signs of human interference in voter counting (e.g., reassigning of ballots from one candidate to another, etc.) as measured by a significant deviation from the uniform distribution (of votes cast in favor of two front-runners) in polling stations outside of Yerevan and Gyumri.</li></ul><p>All in all, we conclude that in polling stations not affected by falsifications, the main opposition candidate, Raffi Hovannisian, shows a lead of at least 4 percent of the vote. This, however, is likely to be the lower bound of the difference between the two front-runners, because of the extent of violations in favor of Serge Sargsyan, as mentioned earlier.</p><p>This analysis challenges&mdash;in the strongest possible way&mdash;the official version of the events, the statement of the OSCE-ODIHR observer mission, and the reports in Western media outlets about the extent of violations that took place on February 18, 2013.</p><p>Our results strongly indicate that the final outcome of February 2013 election was subject to massive manipulations and interference and did not reflect the free will of the Armenian citizens.</p><p>They also call into question the role of foreign election observers in the Armenian context, specifically their impartiality and ability to detect election fraud that is becoming ever more sophisticated.</p><p>We strongly encourage Raffi Hovannisian and his supporters to forcefully pursue either a system-wide recount of ballots (which would undoubtedly reduce the share of the incumbent&rsquo;s votes and lead to the second round election) or a complete annulment of the election outcome, as the only ways forward for the country and its people.</p><p align=\"center\">For the full test of the Press Release, including Figures, please <strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/2013%20Election%20Statement-updated.pdf\">visit here</a></strong>. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html');
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('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1134, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis&mdash;which we summarize below&mdash;confirms the following:</p><ul><li>Presence of a significant and systemic effort to artificially inflate the voter turnout (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panel 1</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern (i.e., the normal or Gaussian distribution) appear to be larger than those found in our analysis of the 2008 Presidential Election (see Figure 1 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>This turnout-enhancing fraud was conducted on behalf of the incumbent, Serge Sargsyan, and against the main challenger, Raffi Hovannisian (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panels 1 and 2</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern are massive and exceed the range found during the 2008 election (see Figure 2 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>In addition to artificially inflating the voter turnout, votes cast in favor of Raffi Hovannisian and other opposition candidates were fraudulently assigned to Serge Sargsyan: for every 100 ballots cast in polling stations with artificially high voter turnout, Serge Sargsyan received 105 votes (as measured by the slope of the straight line on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 1</strong></a>).</li></ul><ul><li>Voter turnout was inflated by ballot stuffing, among other means. As shown on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 3</strong></a>, the number of invalid ballots declined asthe voter turnout increased, a clear sign of ballot stuffing. This result contrasts with the findings of the 2012 Parliamentary Election, where ballot stuffing was not found to be a major factor (See PFA&rsquo;s report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>There are indications that invalid ballots were counted in favor of the incumbent (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 4</strong></a>). The share of votes assigned to Serge Sargsyan is larger in polling stations where the ratio of ballots treated as &ldquo;invalid&rdquo; is lower.</li></ul><ul><li>There is strong evidence of vote-counting fraud in polling stations in rural areas. The digit tests (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%203.pdf\"><strong>Figure 3</strong></a>) reveal signs of human interference in voter counting (e.g., reassigning of ballots from one candidate to another, etc.) as measured by a significant deviation from the uniform distribution (of votes cast in favor of two front-runners) in polling stations outside of Yerevan and Gyumri.</li></ul><p>All in all, we conclude that in polling stations not affected by falsifications, the main opposition candidate, Raffi Hovannisian, shows a lead of at least 4 percent of the vote. This, however, is likely to be the lower bound of the difference between the two front-runners, because of the extent of violations in favor of Serge Sargsyan, as mentioned earlier.</p><p>This analysis challenges&mdash;in the strongest possible way&mdash;the official version of the events, the statement of the OSCE-ODIHR observer mission, and the reports in Western media outlets about the extent of violations that took place on February 18, 2013.</p><p>Our results strongly indicate that the final outcome of February 2013 election was subject to massive manipulations and interference and did not reflect the free will of the Armenian citizens.</p><p>They also call into question the role of foreign election observers in the Armenian context, specifically their impartiality and ability to detect election fraud that is becoming ever more sophisticated.</p><p>We strongly encourage Raffi Hovannisian and his supporters to forcefully pursue either a system-wide recount of ballots (which would undoubtedly reduce the share of the incumbent&rsquo;s votes and lead to the second round election) or a complete annulment of the election outcome, as the only ways forward for the country and its people.</p><p align=\"center\">For the full test of the Press Release, including Figures, please <strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/2013%20Election%20Statement-3.pdf\">visit here</a></strong>. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1137, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis&mdash;which we summarize below&mdash;confirms the following:</p><ul><li>Presence of a significant and systemic effort to artificially inflate the voter turnout (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panel 1</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern (i.e., the normal or Gaussian distribution) appear to be larger than those found in our analysis of the 2008 Presidential Election (see Figure 1 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>This turnout-enhancing fraud was conducted on behalf of the incumbent, Serge Sargsyan, and against the main challenger, Raffi Hovannisian (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panels 1 and 2</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern are massive and exceed the range found during the 2008 election (see Figure 2 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>In addition to artificially inflating the voter turnout, votes cast in favor of Raffi Hovannisian and other opposition candidates were fraudulently assigned to Serge Sargsyan: for every 100 ballots cast in polling stations with artificially high voter turnout, Serge Sargsyan received 105 votes (as measured by the slope of the straight line on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 1</strong></a>).</li></ul><ul><li>Voter turnout was inflated by ballot stuffing, among other means. As shown on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 3</strong></a>, the number of invalid ballots declined asthe voter turnout increased, a clear sign of ballot stuffing. This result contrasts with the findings of the 2012 Parliamentary Election, where ballot stuffing was not found to be a major factor (See PFA&rsquo;s report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>There are indications that invalid ballots were counted in favor of the incumbent (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 4</strong></a>). The share of votes assigned to Serge Sargsyan is larger in polling stations where the ratio of ballots treated as &ldquo;invalid&rdquo; is lower.</li></ul><ul><li>There is strong evidence of vote-counting fraud in polling stations in rural areas. The digit tests (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%203.pdf\"><strong>Figure 3</strong></a>) reveal signs of human interference in voter counting (e.g., reassigning of ballots from one candidate to another, etc.) as measured by a significant deviation from the uniform distribution (of votes cast in favor of two front-runners) in polling stations outside of Yerevan and Gyumri.</li></ul><p>All in all, we conclude that in polling stations not affected by falsifications, the main opposition candidate, Raffi Hovannisian, shows a lead of at least 4 percent of the vote. This, however, is likely to be the lower bound of the difference between the two front-runners, because of the extent of violations in favor of Serge Sargsyan, as mentioned earlier.</p><p>This analysis challenges&mdash;in the strongest possible way&mdash;the official version of the events, the statement of the OSCE-ODIHR observer mission, and the reports in Western media outlets about the extent of violations that took place on February 18, 2013.</p><p>Our results strongly indicate that the final outcome of February 2013 election was subject to massive manipulations and interference and did not reflect the free will of the Armenian citizens.</p><p>They also call into question the role of foreign election observers in the Armenian context, specifically their impartiality and ability to detect election fraud that is becoming ever more sophisticated.</p><p>We strongly encourage Raffi Hovannisian and his supporters to forcefully pursue either a system-wide recount of ballots (which would undoubtedly reduce the share of the incumbent&rsquo;s votes and lead to the second round election) or a complete annulment of the election outcome, as the only ways forward for the country and its people.</p><p align=\"center\"><strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/2013%20Election%20Statement-3.pdf\">Download the full text of the Press Release with Figures</a></strong>. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1147, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis&mdash;which we summarize below&mdash;confirms the following:</p><ul><li>Presence of a significant and systemic effort to artificially inflate the voter turnout (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panel 1</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern (i.e., the normal or Gaussian distribution) appear to be larger than those found in our analysis of the 2008 Presidential Election (see Figure 1 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>This turnout-enhancing fraud was conducted on behalf of the incumbent, Serge Sargsyan, and against the main challenger, Raffi Hovannisian (<strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\">Figure 1, Panels 2 and </a>3</strong>). The deviations from the expected pattern are massive and exceed the range found during the 2008 election (see Figure 2 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>In addition to artificially inflating the voter turnout, votes cast in favor of Raffi Hovannisian and other opposition candidates were fraudulently assigned to Serge Sargsyan: for every 100 ballots cast in polling stations with artificially high voter turnout, Serge Sargsyan received 105 votes (as measured by the slope of the straight line on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 1</strong></a>).</li></ul><ul><li>Voter turnout was inflated by ballot stuffing, among other means. As shown on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 3</strong></a>, the number of invalid ballots declined asthe voter turnout increased, a clear sign of ballot stuffing. This result contrasts with the findings of the 2012 Parliamentary Election, where ballot stuffing was not found to be a major factor (See PFA&rsquo;s report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>There are indications that invalid ballots were counted in favor of the incumbent (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 4</strong></a>). The share of votes assigned to Serge Sargsyan is larger in polling stations where the ratio of ballots treated as &ldquo;invalid&rdquo; is lower.</li></ul><ul><li>There is strong evidence of vote-counting fraud in polling stations in rural areas. The digit tests (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%203.pdf\"><strong>Figure 3</strong></a>) reveal signs of human interference in voter counting (e.g., reassigning of ballots from one candidate to another, etc.) as measured by a significant deviation from the uniform distribution (of votes cast in favor of two front-runners) in polling stations outside of Yerevan and Gyumri.</li></ul><p>All in all, we conclude that in polling stations not affected by falsifications, the main opposition candidate, Raffi Hovannisian, shows a lead of at least 4 percent of the vote. This, however, is likely to be the lower bound of the difference between the two front-runners, because of the extent of violations in favor of Serge Sargsyan, as mentioned earlier.</p><p>This analysis challenges&mdash;in the strongest possible way&mdash;the official version of the events, the statement of the OSCE-ODIHR observer mission, and the reports in Western media outlets about the extent of violations that took place on February 18, 2013.</p><p>Our results strongly indicate that the final outcome of February 2013 election was subject to massive manipulations and interference and did not reflect the free will of the Armenian citizens.</p><p>They also call into question the role of foreign election observers in the Armenian context, specifically their impartiality and ability to detect election fraud that is becoming ever more sophisticated.</p><p>We strongly encourage Raffi Hovannisian and his supporters to forcefully pursue either a system-wide recount of ballots (which would undoubtedly reduce the share of the incumbent&rsquo;s votes and lead to the second round election) or a complete annulment of the election outcome, as the only ways forward for the country and its people.</p><p align=\"center\"><strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/2013%20Election%20Statement-3.pdf\">Download the full text of the Press Release with Figures</a></strong>. &nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1398, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis&mdash;which we summarize below&mdash;confirms the following:</p><ul><li>Presence of a significant and systemic effort to artificially inflate the voter turnout (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panel 1</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern (i.e., the normal or Gaussian distribution) appear to be larger than those found in our analysis of the 2008 Presidential Election (see Figure 1 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>This turnout-enhancing fraud was conducted on behalf of the incumbent, Serge Sargsyan, and against the main challenger, Raffi Hovannisian (<strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\">Figure 1, Panels 2 and </a>3</strong>). The deviations from the expected pattern are massive and exceed the range found during the 2008 election (see Figure 2 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>In addition to artificially inflating the voter turnout, votes cast in favor of Raffi Hovannisian and other opposition candidates were fraudulently assigned to Serge Sargsyan: for every 100 ballots cast in polling stations with artificially high voter turnout, Serge Sargsyan received 105 votes (as measured by the slope of the straight line on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 1</strong></a>).</li></ul><ul><li>Voter turnout was inflated by ballot stuffing, among other means. As shown on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 3</strong></a>, the number of invalid ballots declined asthe voter turnout increased, a clear sign of ballot stuffing. This result contrasts with the findings of the 2012 Parliamentary Election, where ballot stuffing was not found to be a major factor (See PFA&rsquo;s report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>There are indications that invalid ballots were counted in favor of the incumbent (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 4</strong></a>). The share of votes assigned to Serge Sargsyan is larger in polling stations where the ratio of ballots treated as &ldquo;invalid&rdquo; is lower.</li></ul><ul><li>There is strong evidence of vote-counting fraud in polling stations in rural areas. The digit tests (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%203.pdf\"><strong>Figure 3</strong></a>) reveal signs of human interference in voter counting (e.g., reassigning of ballots from one candidate to another, etc.) as measured by a significant deviation from the uniform distribution (of votes cast in favor of two front-runners) in polling stations outside of Yerevan and Gyumri.</li></ul><p>All in all, we conclude that in polling stations not affected by falsifications, the main opposition candidate, Raffi Hovannisian, shows a lead of at least 4 percent of the vote. This, however, is likely to be the lower bound of the difference between the two front-runners, because of the extent of violations in favor of Serge Sargsyan, as mentioned earlier.</p><p>This analysis challenges&mdash;in the strongest possible way&mdash;the official version of the events, the statement of the OSCE-ODIHR observer mission, and the reports in Western media outlets about the extent of violations that took place on February 18, 2013.</p><p>Our results strongly indicate that the final outcome of February 2013 election was subject to massive manipulations and interference and did not reflect the free will of the Armenian citizens.</p><p>They also call into question the role of foreign election observers in the Armenian context, specifically their impartiality and ability to detect election fraud that is becoming ever more sophisticated.</p><p>We strongly encourage Raffi Hovannisian and his supporters to forcefully pursue either a system-wide recount of ballots (which would undoubtedly reduce the share of the incumbent&rsquo;s votes and lead to the second round election) or a complete annulment of the election outcome, as the only ways forward for the country and its people.<br /><br /><strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/2013%20Election%20Statement-3.pdf\">Download the full text of the Press Release with Figures</a></strong>. &nbsp;<br />&nbsp;</p><div style=\"color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\">&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1399, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis&mdash;which we summarize below&mdash;confirms the following:</p><ul><li>Presence of a significant and systemic effort to artificially inflate the voter turnout (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panel 1</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern (i.e., the normal or Gaussian distribution) appear to be larger than those found in our analysis of the 2008 Presidential Election (see Figure 1 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>This turnout-enhancing fraud was conducted on behalf of the incumbent, Serge Sargsyan, and against the main challenger, Raffi Hovannisian (<strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\">Figure 1, Panels 2 and </a>3</strong>). The deviations from the expected pattern are massive and exceed the range found during the 2008 election (see Figure 2 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>In addition to artificially inflating the voter turnout, votes cast in favor of Raffi Hovannisian and other opposition candidates were fraudulently assigned to Serge Sargsyan: for every 100 ballots cast in polling stations with artificially high voter turnout, Serge Sargsyan received 105 votes (as measured by the slope of the straight line on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 1</strong></a>).</li></ul><ul><li>Voter turnout was inflated by ballot stuffing, among other means. As shown on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 3</strong></a>, the number of invalid ballots declined asthe voter turnout increased, a clear sign of ballot stuffing. This result contrasts with the findings of the 2012 Parliamentary Election, where ballot stuffing was not found to be a major factor (See PFA&rsquo;s report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>There are indications that invalid ballots were counted in favor of the incumbent (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 4</strong></a>). The share of votes assigned to Serge Sargsyan is larger in polling stations where the ratio of ballots treated as &ldquo;invalid&rdquo; is lower.</li></ul><ul><li>There is strong evidence of vote-counting fraud in polling stations in rural areas. The digit tests (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%203.pdf\"><strong>Figure 3</strong></a>) reveal signs of human interference in voter counting (e.g., reassigning of ballots from one candidate to another, etc.) as measured by a significant deviation from the uniform distribution (of votes cast in favor of two front-runners) in polling stations outside of Yerevan and Gyumri.</li></ul><p>All in all, we conclude that in polling stations not affected by falsifications, the main opposition candidate, Raffi Hovannisian, shows a lead of at least 4 percent of the vote. This, however, is likely to be the lower bound of the difference between the two front-runners, because of the extent of violations in favor of Serge Sargsyan, as mentioned earlier.</p><p>This analysis challenges&mdash;in the strongest possible way&mdash;the official version of the events, the statement of the OSCE-ODIHR observer mission, and the reports in Western media outlets about the extent of violations that took place on February 18, 2013.</p><p>Our results strongly indicate that the final outcome of February 2013 election was subject to massive manipulations and interference and did not reflect the free will of the Armenian citizens.</p><p>They also call into question the role of foreign election observers in the Armenian context, specifically their impartiality and ability to detect election fraud that is becoming ever more sophisticated.</p><p>We strongly encourage Raffi Hovannisian and his supporters to forcefully pursue either a system-wide recount of ballots (which would undoubtedly reduce the share of the incumbent&rsquo;s votes and lead to the second round election) or a complete annulment of the election outcome, as the only ways forward for the country and its people.<br /><br /><strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/2013%20Election%20Statement-3.pdf\">Download the full text of the Press Release with Figures</a></strong>. &nbsp;<br />&nbsp;</p><div style=\"color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\">&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1400, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis&mdash;which we summarize below&mdash;confirms the following:</p><ul><li>Presence of a significant and systemic effort to artificially inflate the voter turnout (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panel 1</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern (i.e., the normal or Gaussian distribution) appear to be larger than those found in our analysis of the 2008 Presidential Election (see Figure 1 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>This turnout-enhancing fraud was conducted on behalf of the incumbent, Serge Sargsyan, and against the main challenger, Raffi Hovannisian (<strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\">Figure 1, Panels 2 and </a>3</strong>). The deviations from the expected pattern are massive and exceed the range found during the 2008 election (see Figure 2 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>In addition to artificially inflating the voter turnout, votes cast in favor of Raffi Hovannisian and other opposition candidates were fraudulently assigned to Serge Sargsyan: for every 100 ballots cast in polling stations with artificially high voter turnout, Serge Sargsyan received 105 votes (as measured by the slope of the straight line on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 1</strong></a>).</li></ul><ul><li>Voter turnout was inflated by ballot stuffing, among other means. As shown on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 3</strong></a>, the number of invalid ballots declined asthe voter turnout increased, a clear sign of ballot stuffing. This result contrasts with the findings of the 2012 Parliamentary Election, where ballot stuffing was not found to be a major factor (See PFA&rsquo;s report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>There are indications that invalid ballots were counted in favor of the incumbent (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 4</strong></a>). The share of votes assigned to Serge Sargsyan is larger in polling stations where the ratio of ballots treated as &ldquo;invalid&rdquo; is lower.</li></ul><ul><li>There is strong evidence of vote-counting fraud in polling stations in rural areas. The digit tests (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%203.pdf\"><strong>Figure 3</strong></a>) reveal signs of human interference in voter counting (e.g., reassigning of ballots from one candidate to another, etc.) as measured by a significant deviation from the uniform distribution (of votes cast in favor of two front-runners) in polling stations outside of Yerevan and Gyumri.</li></ul><p>All in all, we conclude that in polling stations not affected by falsifications, the main opposition candidate, Raffi Hovannisian, shows a lead of at least 4 percent of the vote. This, however, is likely to be the lower bound of the difference between the two front-runners, because of the extent of violations in favor of Serge Sargsyan, as mentioned earlier.</p><p>This analysis challenges&mdash;in the strongest possible way&mdash;the official version of the events, the statement of the OSCE-ODIHR observer mission, and the reports in Western media outlets about the extent of violations that took place on February 18, 2013.</p><p>Our results strongly indicate that the final outcome of February 2013 election was subject to massive manipulations and interference and did not reflect the free will of the Armenian citizens.</p><p>They also call into question the role of foreign election observers in the Armenian context, specifically their impartiality and ability to detect election fraud that is becoming ever more sophisticated.</p><p>We strongly encourage Raffi Hovannisian and his supporters to forcefully pursue either a system-wide recount of ballots (which would undoubtedly reduce the share of the incumbent&rsquo;s votes and lead to the second round election) or a complete annulment of the election outcome, as the only ways forward for the country and its people.<br /><br /><strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/2013%20Election%20Statement-3.pdf\">Download the full text of the Press Release with Figures</a></strong>. &nbsp;<br />&nbsp;</p><div style=\"color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\">&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 565, 1401, 'und', 0, '<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p>Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia&rsquo;s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis&mdash;which we summarize below&mdash;confirms the following:</p><ul><li>Presence of a significant and systemic effort to artificially inflate the voter turnout (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\"><strong>Figure 1, Panel 1</strong></a>). The deviations from the expected pattern (i.e., the normal or Gaussian distribution) appear to be larger than those found in our analysis of the 2008 Presidential Election (see Figure 1 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>This turnout-enhancing fraud was conducted on behalf of the incumbent, Serge Sargsyan, and against the main challenger, Raffi Hovannisian (<strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%201.pdf\">Figure 1, Panels 2 and </a>3</strong>). The deviations from the expected pattern are massive and exceed the range found during the 2008 election (see Figure 2 in PFA&rsquo;s Report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/PFA_Election_Report--FINAL.pdf\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2008 Presidential Election: Select Issues and Analysis</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>In addition to artificially inflating the voter turnout, votes cast in favor of Raffi Hovannisian and other opposition candidates were fraudulently assigned to Serge Sargsyan: for every 100 ballots cast in polling stations with artificially high voter turnout, Serge Sargsyan received 105 votes (as measured by the slope of the straight line on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 1</strong></a>).</li></ul><ul><li>Voter turnout was inflated by ballot stuffing, among other means. As shown on <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 3</strong></a>, the number of invalid ballots declined asthe voter turnout increased, a clear sign of ballot stuffing. This result contrasts with the findings of the 2012 Parliamentary Election, where ballot stuffing was not found to be a major factor (See PFA&rsquo;s report on &ldquo;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/document/armenians-2012-parliamentary-election\">Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election</a>&rdquo;).</li></ul><ul><li>There are indications that invalid ballots were counted in favor of the incumbent (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%202.pdf\"><strong>Figure 2, Panel 4</strong></a>). The share of votes assigned to Serge Sargsyan is larger in polling stations where the ratio of ballots treated as &ldquo;invalid&rdquo; is lower.</li></ul><ul><li>There is strong evidence of vote-counting fraud in polling stations in rural areas. The digit tests (<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Figure%203.pdf\"><strong>Figure 3</strong></a>) reveal signs of human interference in voter counting (e.g., reassigning of ballots from one candidate to another, etc.) as measured by a significant deviation from the uniform distribution (of votes cast in favor of two front-runners) in polling stations outside of Yerevan and Gyumri.</li></ul><p>All in all, we conclude that in polling stations not affected by falsifications, the main opposition candidate, Raffi Hovannisian, shows a lead of at least 4 percent of the vote. This, however, is likely to be the lower bound of the difference between the two front-runners, because of the extent of violations in favor of Serge Sargsyan, as mentioned earlier.</p><p>This analysis challenges&mdash;in the strongest possible way&mdash;the official version of the events, the statement of the OSCE-ODIHR observer mission, and the reports in Western media outlets about the extent of violations that took place on February 18, 2013.</p><p>Our results strongly indicate that the final outcome of February 2013 election was subject to massive manipulations and interference and did not reflect the free will of the Armenian citizens.</p><p>They also call into question the role of foreign election observers in the Armenian context, specifically their impartiality and ability to detect election fraud that is becoming ever more sophisticated.</p><p>We strongly encourage Raffi Hovannisian and his supporters to forcefully pursue either a system-wide recount of ballots (which would undoubtedly reduce the share of the incumbent&rsquo;s votes and lead to the second round election) or a complete annulment of the election outcome, as the only ways forward for the country and its people.<br /><br /><strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/2013%20Election%20Statement-3.pdf\">Download the full text of the Press Release with Figures</a></strong>. &nbsp;<br />&nbsp;</p><div style=\"color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);\">&nbsp;</div>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'site_page', 0, 566, 1118, 'und', 0, 'Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia’s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis—which we summarize below—confirms the following:', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'site_page', 0, 566, 1130, 'und', 0, 'Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia’s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis—which we summarize below—confirms the following:', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'site_page', 0, 566, 1131, 'und', 0, 'Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia’s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis—which we summarize below—confirms the following:', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'site_page', 0, 566, 1133, 'und', 0, 'Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) just concluded its preliminary analysis of the official results of Armenia’s 2013 Presidential Election based on the data provided by the Central Election Commission. Consistent with eyewitness accounts and a large body of local media reports, our analysis—which we summarize below—confirms the following:', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'blog_entry', 0, 571, 1136, 'und', 0, 'PFA Fellow and Communications Director Tamar Gasparian is reporting from New York City on a recent protest organized by a group of Armenian activists against the massive presidential election fraud in Armenia. ', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 574, 1148, 'und', 0, 'PFA Releases the list of 20 Top Violator Polling Stations. Download the release in Armenian. ', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 574, 1153, 'und', 0, '<p><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Black%20List%20.pdf\">Download the press release in Armenian. </a></p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 574, 1154, 'und', 0, '<p>PFA releases the list of 20 top violator polling stations. &nbsp;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Black%20List%20.pdf\">Download the press release in Armenian. </a></p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 574, 1156, 'und', 0, '<p>PFA releases the list of 20 top violator polling stations. &nbsp;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Pre-Election%20Statement%202013--FINAL.pdf\">Download the press release in Armenian. </a></p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'blog_entry', 0, 576, 1157, 'und', 0, 'While supporting Raffi Hovanissian\'s hunger strike and encouraging everyone to support him, PFA Fellow Sassoon Kosian suggests alternative ways of changing power in Armenia and outlines the steps in his text. ', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'webform', 0, 577, 1158, 'und', 0, 'Test petition text ', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'event', 0, 578, 1159, 'und', 0, '<p>PFA Fellow Sassoon Kosian and Civil Society Activist Alex Sardar participated in a public discussion and Q&amp;A concerning the recent Armenian Presidential Election and the post election developments in Armenia.</p><p>Sassoon Kosian presented&nbsp;PFA&rsquo;s analysis&nbsp;of February 2013 presidential election in Armenia that shed light on the mechanics of the election fraud and supplemented it by findings of other independent analysts.&nbsp;</p><p><strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/Presidential%20Elections%202013-2_0.pdf\">See Sasoon Kosian&#39;s Presentation.</a></strong></p><p><strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/media-gallery/election-fraud-discussion-nj\">Pictures form the event are available frome the Photo Gallery.</a></strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 579, 1161, 'und', 0, 'The time has arrived for organizations, communities, and individuals of the Armenian Diaspora to urgently act to address the troubling events unfolding in the Republic of Armenia in the wake of the February 2013 election. \r\n\r\nPublic criticism of the Armenian government is growing from all corners. Read the full appeal here.', '', 'filtered_html');
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('node', 'press_release', 0, 579, 1166, 'und', 0, '<p>&nbsp;</p><p align=\"center\"><strong>A Challenge to the Armenian Diaspora:</strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>Help Lead the Armenian Homeland in a New Direction</strong></p><p>The time has arrived for organizations, communities, and individuals of the Armenian Diaspora to urgently act to address the troubling events unfolding in the Republic of Armenia in the wake of the February 2013 election.</p><p><strong>Public criticism of the Armenian government is growing from all corners.</strong></p><p><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/press-release/pfa-publishes-results-its-preliminary-analysis-presidential-election-armenia\">Recent analysis</a> conducted by Policy Forum Armenia and other independent experts using official election data provides statistical evidence of massive election fraud and indicates that in several hundred polling stations not affected by falsifications the main opposition candidate was ahead of the incumbent.</p><p>The <a href=\"http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/99931\">interim report</a> issued by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights on March 2, 2013 notes that its analysis of official results &ldquo;raises concerns regarding the confidence over the integrity of the electoral process.&rdquo;</p><p>Despite the current administration&rsquo;s attempts to hide this pervasive election fraud, as observed by independent observers and the media alike, Diaspora communities are weighting in on the matter. In recent days, activists throughout the Diaspora are coming forward to show their support for free and fair elections in Armenia. Criticism has come from prominent Diasporans, grassroots members, and organizations united behind one principle: it is the people&rsquo;s collective will&mdash;and not the self-interest of the authorities&mdash;which is paramount and needs to be secured.</p><p><strong>We all are stakeholders in the future of Armenia.</strong></p><p>Without justice and respect for the constitutional rights of people, what kind of a country will future generations inherit? Will the core values of decency, dignity, and honesty be allowed to take root in our homeland or just be deflected? Will corruption and cynicism at all levels continue to undermine Armenia&rsquo;s economic and demographic viability? Aren&rsquo;t we undermining our demands for justice for the Genocide that happened <em>nearly</em> <em>a century ago</em>, if we allow protesters on the streets of Yerevan to be shot and killed <em>today</em>? Denial of rights and liberties at any level originated in, and perpetuated by, any nation&rsquo;s government requires civil response of intolerance.</p><p>Achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. Better elections will lead to better governance and stronger social cohesion. These in turn are the primary drivers of economic development and progress in developing countries.</p><p><strong>What has &ldquo;looking the other way&rdquo; for two decades actually achieved?</strong></p><p>We have one homeland to cherish and to serve, a homeland which emerged from a decades-long history of institutional resistance to the people&rsquo;s freedoms of speech, expression, and assembly. That history has been hard to shake in the first two decades of Armenia&rsquo;s independence, with a continuing tradition of judicial system depending on executive order and an economy monopolized by the very few, who covet their seats in parliament and the prosecutorial immunity that those seats provide. All of the good that the country has experienced with your generous help tilt ever-so-slightly against the Armenian government&rsquo;s poor governance and neglect of fundamental human rights.</p><p>The mass migration of population out of Armenia is a serious national security threat, commensurate with that posed by Armenia&#39;s foreign enemies, today and almost 100 years ago. Any administration whose policies&mdash;willingly or unwillingly&mdash;lead the country down the path to an Armenia without Armenians cannot be supported by the Diaspora.</p><p><strong>It&rsquo;s not about taking sides. It&rsquo;s about making a stand for what&rsquo;s right.</strong></p><p>There are many crisis points in the life of a nation. Here, in the 21<sup>st</sup> century, we have reached ours. Citizens of Armenia are organizing to challenge what has been widely perceived as flawed presidential election and to refute the illusory reports of the State regarding the results. They need all the help and solidarity they can get from us. Our assistance and solidarity do not come at a price for us since it is the Armenian citizenry, not us, who run the risk of reactionary repercussions for trying to express their inalienable right. We enjoy those rights without fear and consequence.</p><p>Some foreign governments were quick to congratulate the incumbent. We do not deny them the right to pursue their own interest in our region. We do not need to buy into them though. Interestingly, those interests have been linked with leaderships in Armenia that have denied their people the freedom to choose their own future. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>This begs the question as to the role of Diaspora institutions in this quest for truth and justice. The Armenian Church has remained on the sidelines on issues that speak to the core Christian tenets.&nbsp; Speaking truth to power follows in the footsteps of Jesus Christ himself. But today, our church leaders refuse to speak against the effort to deprive Armenian voters of the fundamental right to choose their own future. It should be incumbent on the Church to encourage people to be more confident, more courageous, and more conscious of their social responsibilities and rights.</p><p>As for Diaspora organizations involved in economic development in Armenia, it is in their best interests to operate in an environment free of corruption and shadow economics. Yet, they often looked the other way and have accepted top members of Armenia&rsquo;s corrupt regime as members of their governing bodies. Standing up for principles is not the same as being political.</p><p>Cultural and educational organizations also have a part to play. Instead, they have so far said little on behalf of truth and freedom. &nbsp;As put by Holocaust scholar Elie Wiesel, &ldquo;Neutrality always helps the oppressor, never the oppressed.&rdquo;</p><p>The lobbying groups, too, have been eerily silent when it comes to promoting the fundamental rights of Armenians in Armenia. While exercising the rights given to them by the constitutions of the countries in which they live and pursuing historical justice, they would be doing injustice were they not to hold the Armenian government to safeguarding the rights of our brothers and sisters in Armenia</p><p>Ironically, many of these same entities have been quite vocal in calling for the people to refrain from their struggle for true freedom and better governance. Siding with the regime publicly, sometimes even verging on demagoguery, and remaining silent when the people need backing is not the hallmark of a proud and prosperous Diaspora.</p><p><strong>Patience is only a virtue when accompanied by thoughtful action.</strong></p><p>We believe that no self-respecting Diaspora institution or community group, except those involved in health, medicine, and emergency humanitarian relief, can afford to sit on the sidelines or claim that making public statements about internal politics is &ldquo;not within the scope of their mission&rdquo; or &ldquo;Armenia needs time to work things out&rdquo; or blame outside forces for all the country&rsquo;s ills.</p><p>As stakeholders in the homeland and as leaders in their respective communities, Diaspora organizations have a responsibility to help lead the way in bringing about meaningful and positive change.&nbsp;</p><p>Ultimately, however, it still comes down to the people there in Armenia. Here in the Diaspora, it is the responsibility of every Armenian to challenge his or her community leaders to do the right thing, at the right time, and for the right reasons.</p><p>The world has changed. The people can no longer be made to believe that black is white. Nor they can be forced to live that way. The youth is on the rise&mdash;the real hope of a small nation beset by massive emigration. The Citizens of Armenia have decided in large measure that they will no longer passively accept what the ruling regime imposes on them. They have shown that they will take individual responsibility for the destiny of the nation to ensure that sovereignty rests with the people. &nbsp;</p><p>The people of Armenia have been asking for our support for years. Our voices and open acknowledgement that things must change for the better can&rsquo;t come fast enough. We, the Diasporans, have the responsibility before history and our own collective conscience.</p><p>To start, we, the undersigned, strongly encourage you to take the following actions:</p><p>1) If your organization&rsquo;s mission is to promote Armenia&rsquo;s development, issue a public announcement denouncing the unacceptable tactics of ballot stuffing, multiple voting, and vote count fraud used massively during the presidential elections to keep Serge Sargsyan in office.</p><p>2) Openly support a system-wide ballot recount or the annulment of the election outcome.</p><p>3) Spread the word in your social circles and online using information provided by independent media sources in Armenia. We can only provide a balance to misinformation from the official Armenian and international media sources if we become the carriers and couriers of truth.</p><p><strong>The clock has stopped at now or never. Let the challenge begin. &nbsp;</strong></p><p><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/PFA%20Appeal%20to%20the%20Diaspora%20-%2001.pdf\">Download the appeal in PDF</a></p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 579, 1167, 'und', 0, '<p align=\"center\"><strong>A Challenge to the Armenian Diaspora:</strong></p><p align=\"center\"><strong>Help Lead the Armenian Homeland in a New Direction</strong></p><p>The time has arrived for organizations, communities, and individuals of the Armenian Diaspora to urgently act to address the troubling events unfolding in the Republic of Armenia in the wake of the February 2013 election.</p><p><strong>Public criticism of the Armenian government is growing from all corners.</strong></p><p><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/press-release/pfa-publishes-results-its-preliminary-analysis-presidential-election-armenia\">Recent analysis</a> conducted by Policy Forum Armenia and other independent experts using official election data provides statistical evidence of massive election fraud and indicates that in several hundred polling stations not affected by falsifications the main opposition candidate was ahead of the incumbent.</p><p>The <a href=\"http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/99931\">interim report</a> issued by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights on March 2, 2013 notes that its analysis of official results &ldquo;raises concerns regarding the confidence over the integrity of the electoral process.&rdquo;</p><p>Despite the current administration&rsquo;s attempts to hide this pervasive election fraud, as observed by independent observers and the media alike, Diaspora communities are weighting in on the matter. In recent days, activists throughout the Diaspora are coming forward to show their support for free and fair elections in Armenia. Criticism has come from prominent Diasporans, grassroots members, and organizations united behind one principle: it is the people&rsquo;s collective will&mdash;and not the self-interest of the authorities&mdash;which is paramount and needs to be secured.</p><p><strong>We all are stakeholders in the future of Armenia.</strong></p><p>Without justice and respect for the constitutional rights of people, what kind of a country will future generations inherit? Will the core values of decency, dignity, and honesty be allowed to take root in our homeland or just be deflected? Will corruption and cynicism at all levels continue to undermine Armenia&rsquo;s economic and demographic viability? Aren&rsquo;t we undermining our demands for justice for the Genocide that happened <em>nearly</em> <em>a century ago</em>, if we allow protesters on the streets of Yerevan to be shot and killed <em>today</em>? Denial of rights and liberties at any level originated in, and perpetuated by, any nation&rsquo;s government requires civil response of intolerance.</p><p>Achieving free and fair elections is not an end in itself. Better elections will lead to better governance and stronger social cohesion. These in turn are the primary drivers of economic development and progress in developing countries.</p><p><strong>What has &ldquo;looking the other way&rdquo; for two decades actually achieved?</strong></p><p>We have one homeland to cherish and to serve, a homeland which emerged from a decades-long history of institutional resistance to the people&rsquo;s freedoms of speech, expression, and assembly. That history has been hard to shake in the first two decades of Armenia&rsquo;s independence, with a continuing tradition of judicial system depending on executive order and an economy monopolized by the very few, who covet their seats in parliament and the prosecutorial immunity that those seats provide. All of the good that the country has experienced with your generous help tilt ever-so-slightly against the Armenian government&rsquo;s poor governance and neglect of fundamental human rights.</p><p>The mass migration of population out of Armenia is a serious national security threat, commensurate with that posed by Armenia&#39;s foreign enemies, today and almost 100 years ago. Any administration whose policies&mdash;willingly or unwillingly&mdash;lead the country down the path to an Armenia without Armenians cannot be supported by the Diaspora.</p><p><strong>It&rsquo;s not about taking sides. It&rsquo;s about making a stand for what&rsquo;s right.</strong></p><p>There are many crisis points in the life of a nation. Here, in the 21<sup>st</sup> century, we have reached ours. Citizens of Armenia are organizing to challenge what has been widely perceived as flawed presidential election and to refute the illusory reports of the State regarding the results. They need all the help and solidarity they can get from us. Our assistance and solidarity do not come at a price for us since it is the Armenian citizenry, not us, who run the risk of reactionary repercussions for trying to express their inalienable right. We enjoy those rights without fear and consequence.</p><p>Some foreign governments were quick to congratulate the incumbent. We do not deny them the right to pursue their own interest in our region. We do not need to buy into them though. Interestingly, those interests have been linked with leaderships in Armenia that have denied their people the freedom to choose their own future. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>This begs the question as to the role of Diaspora institutions in this quest for truth and justice. The Armenian Church has remained on the sidelines on issues that speak to the core Christian tenets.&nbsp; Speaking truth to power follows in the footsteps of Jesus Christ himself. But today, our church leaders refuse to speak against the effort to deprive Armenian voters of the fundamental right to choose their own future. It should be incumbent on the Church to encourage people to be more confident, more courageous, and more conscious of their social responsibilities and rights.</p><p>As for Diaspora organizations involved in economic development in Armenia, it is in their best interests to operate in an environment free of corruption and shadow economics. Yet, they often looked the other way and have accepted top members of Armenia&rsquo;s corrupt regime as members of their governing bodies. Standing up for principles is not the same as being political.</p><p>Cultural and educational organizations also have a part to play. Instead, they have so far said little on behalf of truth and freedom. &nbsp;As put by Holocaust scholar Elie Wiesel, &ldquo;Neutrality always helps the oppressor, never the oppressed.&rdquo;</p><p>The lobbying groups, too, have been eerily silent when it comes to promoting the fundamental rights of Armenians in Armenia. While exercising the rights given to them by the constitutions of the countries in which they live and pursuing historical justice, they would be doing injustice were they not to hold the Armenian government to safeguarding the rights of our brothers and sisters in Armenia</p><p>Ironically, many of these same entities have been quite vocal in calling for the people to refrain from their struggle for true freedom and better governance. Siding with the regime publicly, sometimes even verging on demagoguery, and remaining silent when the people need backing is not the hallmark of a proud and prosperous Diaspora.</p><p><strong>Patience is only a virtue when accompanied by thoughtful action.</strong></p><p>We believe that no self-respecting Diaspora institution or community group, except those involved in health, medicine, and emergency humanitarian relief, can afford to sit on the sidelines or claim that making public statements about internal politics is &ldquo;not within the scope of their mission&rdquo; or &ldquo;Armenia needs time to work things out&rdquo; or blame outside forces for all the country&rsquo;s ills.</p><p>As stakeholders in the homeland and as leaders in their respective communities, Diaspora organizations have a responsibility to help lead the way in bringing about meaningful and positive change.&nbsp;</p><p>Ultimately, however, it still comes down to the people there in Armenia. Here in the Diaspora, it is the responsibility of every Armenian to challenge his or her community leaders to do the right thing, at the right time, and for the right reasons.</p><p>The world has changed. The people can no longer be made to believe that black is white. Nor they can be forced to live that way. The youth is on the rise&mdash;the real hope of a small nation beset by massive emigration. The Citizens of Armenia have decided in large measure that they will no longer passively accept what the ruling regime imposes on them. They have shown that they will take individual responsibility for the destiny of the nation to ensure that sovereignty rests with the people. &nbsp;</p><p>The people of Armenia have been asking for our support for years. Our voices and open acknowledgement that things must change for the better can&rsquo;t come fast enough. We, the Diasporans, have the responsibility before history and our own collective conscience.</p><p>To start, we, the undersigned, strongly encourage you to take the following actions:</p><p>1) If your organization&rsquo;s mission is to promote Armenia&rsquo;s development, issue a public announcement denouncing the unacceptable tactics of ballot stuffing, multiple voting, and vote count fraud used massively during the presidential elections to keep Serge Sargsyan in office.</p><p>2) Openly support a system-wide ballot recount or the annulment of the election outcome.</p><p>3) Spread the word in your social circles and online using information provided by independent media sources in Armenia. We can only provide a balance to misinformation from the official Armenian and international media sources if we become the carriers and couriers of truth.</p><p><strong>The clock has stopped at now or never. Let the challenge begin. &nbsp;</strong></p><p><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/PFA%20Appeal%20to%20the%20Diaspora%20-%2001.pdf\">Download the appeal in English</a></p><p>Download the appeal in Armenian</p><p>Download the appeal in Russian</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'event', 0, 584, 1172, 'und', 0, '<p style=\"text-align: left; \">On April 8, 2013, Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) organized a roundtable discussion on &ldquo;Election Fraud, Civil Society Awakening, and the Diaspora&rsquo;s Role&rdquo;, which took place at the George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC. Speakers included PFA Executive Board Member, Dr. Zaven Kalayjian, Chairman of Armenian Bar Association, Garo Ghazarian, Esq., and Civil Society Activist, Alex Sardar. Dr. Hrach Gregorian, President of Institute of World Affairs, moderated the discussion.</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><span style=\"text-align: left; \">In his presentation PFA&rsquo;s Dr. Kalayjian presented<strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/2013%20Election%20Statement-3.pdf\">PFA&rsquo;s analysis</a></strong>&nbsp;of February 2013 presidential election in Armenia that shed light on the mechanics of the election fraud and supplemented it by findings of other independent analysts. ABA&#39;s Chairman Garo Ghazarian talked about violations that he observed during the election campaign, like illegal use of public buildings for campaign posters and abuse of administrative power by the ruling party.&nbsp; Civil Society Activist Alex Sardar talked about fraud and intimidation at the polling stations during the election, as well as the role of activists and the Diaspora in the future of Armenia.</span><strong style=\"text-align: left; \">&nbsp;</strong></p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong style=\"text-align: left; \"><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=IYdP5Sqce8g\">A lively question-and-answer session followed (</a></strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=IYdP5Sqce8g\"><strong>video).</strong></a></p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/sites/default/files/GWU_PFA_3.pdf\"><strong>Download Zaven</strong><strong>&nbsp;Kalayjian</strong><strong>&#39;s Presentation</strong></a>.</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/media-gallery/election-fraud-civil-society-diaspora\">Pictures from the event are availabel from the Photo Gallery.</a></strong></p><p style=\"text-align: left; \">&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \">&nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 589, 1183, 'und', 0, '<p>On April 8, 2013 Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) organized a roundtable discussion on Election Fraud, Civil Society Awakening, and the Diaspora&rsquo;s Role, which took place at the George Washington University Law School. Speakers included PFA Executive Board Member Zaven Kalayjian, Ph.D., Chairman of Armenian Bar Association Garo Ghazarian, Esq., and Civil Society Activist Alex Sardar. Hrach Gregorian, Ph.D., and President of Institute of World Affairs moderated the discussion.</p><p>In his presentation PFA&rsquo;s Zaven Kalayjian talked about analysis conducted by PFA and other independent analysts that shed light on the mechanics of the election fraud. Garo Ghazarian and Alex Sardar talked about fraud and intimidation observed by them at the polling stations during the Presidential Election on February 18th, as well as the role of activists and the Diaspora in the future of Armenia.</p><p><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=IYdP5Sqce8g\">To see the full video recording of the roundtable discussion please click here</a>.</p><p><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/multimedia\">For photos visit our media gallery</a>.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 589, 1184, 'und', 0, '<p>On April 8, 2013 Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) organized a roundtable discussion on Election Fraud, Civil Society Awakening, and the Diaspora&rsquo;s Role which took place at the George Washington University Law School. Speakers included PFA Executive Board Member Zaven Kalayjian, Ph.D., Chairman of Armenian Bar Association Garo Ghazarian, Esq., and Civil Society Activist Alex Sardar. Hrach Gregorian, Ph.D., and President of Institute of World Affairs moderated the discussion.</p><p>In his presentation PFA&rsquo;s Zaven Kalayjian talked about analysis conducted by PFA and other independent analysts that shed light on the mechanics of the election fraud. Garo Ghazarian and Alex Sardar talked about fraud and intimidation observed by them at the polling stations during the Presidential Election on February 18th, as well as the role of activists and the Diaspora in the future of Armenia.</p><p><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=IYdP5Sqce8g\">To see the full video recording of the roundtable discussion please click here</a>.</p><p><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/multimedia\">For photos visit our media gallery</a>.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 589, 1185, 'und', 0, '<p>On April 8, 2013 Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) organized a roundtable discussion on Election Fraud, Civil Society Awakening, and the Diaspora&rsquo;s Role which took place at the George Washington University Law School. Speakers included PFA Executive Board Member Zaven Kalayjian, Ph.D., Chairman of Armenian Bar Association Garo Ghazarian, Esq., and Civil Society Activist Alex Sardar. Hrach Gregorian, Ph.D., and President of Institute of World Affairs moderated the discussion.</p><p>In his presentation PFA&rsquo;s Zaven Kalayjian talked about analysis conducted by PFA and other independent analysts that shed light on the mechanics of the election fraud. Garo Ghazarian and Alex Sardar talked about fraud and intimidation observed by them at the polling stations during the Presidential Election on February 18th, as well as the role of activists and the Diaspora in the future of Armenia.</p><p><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=IYdP5Sqce8g\">To see the full video recording of the roundtable discussion please click here</a>.</p><p><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/multimedia\">For photos visit our media gallery</a>.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'event', 0, 604, 1208, 'und', 0, '<p style=\"text-align: left; \">On June 3, 2013 Policy Forum Armenia invited the Heritage Party leader<strong>&nbsp;Raffi Hovannisian</strong>&nbsp;- independent Armenia&#39;s first minister of foreign affairs,&nbsp;recent presidential candidate, chief executive of the Armenian Center for National &amp; International Studies, and founder of the Armenian Bar Association - for a conversation on foreign and domestic policy travelogue with up-front views of the political and civil society landscape. Raffi Hovannisian was a leading candidate in Armenia&#39;s disputed 2013 presidential elections, garnering a significant mandate of the Armenian people&#39;s individual votes and collective confidence.</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \">The event was co-organized by Policy Forum Armenia in collaboration with the George Washington University Law School, the&nbsp;GWU&#39;s Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at the Elliott School of International Relations, and the Armenian Bar Association.</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \"><strong><a href=\"http://pfarmenia.wordpress.com/2013/06/19/armenias-quest-for-a-democratic-identity-a-conversation-with-raffi-hovanissian-on-armenia/\">Read our Blog post about the event</a></strong>.</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \">Pictures from the event are available in our<strong> <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/media-gallery/conversation-armenia-raffi-hovannisian-gwu\">Media Gallery</a></strong>.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'event', 0, 606, 1210, 'und', 0, '<p>On May 7, Policy Forum Armenia joined forces with the Atlantic Council to hold an off-the-record roundtable discussion with Washington-based senior experts on NATO and the South Caucasus. Armenia is a participant of the European Union&rsquo;s Eastern Partnership program and has had some engagement with NATO, which is in the midst of rethinking its partnership policy in the aftermath of the May 2012 Chicago Summit.</p><p>The discussion focused on the Armenia-NATO relationship and Armenia&rsquo;s defense and security, including military reform and other cooperation; NATO&rsquo;s objectives in the Black Sea and the Caucasus region and how Armenia relates to them; and Russia&rsquo;s and Turkey&rsquo;s role in the region and their relationship with Armenia. The discussion also touched upon Armenia&rsquo;s domestic political and economic situation and how they relate to Armenia&rsquo;s foreign policy and its regional standing as well as its overall progress.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'profile', 0, 623, 1230, 'und', 0, 'Christina Najarian interned with Policy Forum Armenia as a part of the Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship program. Christina is a student at Cornell University\'s School of Industrial and Labor Relations where she is working towards a degree in Labor Relations and Applied Economics. Christina spent her first year of university at McGill University in Canada where she studied economics in the Faculty of Arts. Outside the classroom, Christina is a competitive pianist and has performed both in the United States and internationally. While at PFA, Christina analyzed the 2013 presidential election fraud in Armenia, drawing information from Raffi Hovanissian\'s conversational lecture co-organized by PFA. ', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'blog_entry', 0, 624, 1231, 'und', 0, 'PFA Summer Intern, Christina Najarian, talks about her impressions from a recent speech by Raffi Hovannisian at the GWU Law School in Washington in her PFA blog post.', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'blog_entry', 0, 625, 1232, 'und', 0, 'November summit in Vilnius between the EU and six members of the European Partnership program (Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan) is expected to produce some tangible results—signing of the Association Agreements—for Ukraine and Moldova and provide “a light at the end of the tunnel” for the rest of the group by way of updated timelines for signing. What does this mean for Armenia especially now when regional developments are becoming scary to watch.', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 626, 1233, 'und', 0, '<p>&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \">On August 29, 2013, Policy Forum Armenia held a discussion on conditions of Armenians in Syria. The featured speaker was Arménag Aprahamian, the President of Paris-based <a href=\"http://www.haybachdban.org/\">National Council of Armenians from Western Armenia</a>, an organization accredited by the United Nations to represent one of the indigenous people of Western Armenia. Mr. Aprahamian started his address by providing an overview of the vision and operations of the National Council and putting these in context of the wider fight for the Armenian cause. While discussing conditions of Armenians of Syria, he impressed upon the participants the gravity of the situation, especially of those communities that are close to the lines of infighting between government and rebel forces. He singled out the inability of the world-wide Armenian Diaspora to join forces as the main reason behind continued challenges faced by Armenians in Syria. He discussed the potential for political and diplomatic solutions to the security threat faced by many Armenian communities in Syria and emphasized that more innovative thinking and hard work would be required to provide the necessary protection for Armenians in Syria. He stressed that&mdash;due to differences in conditions facing different Armenian communities across that country&mdash;communities themselves should decide which response to choose (ranging from relocating abroad, including to Armenia, to organizing their own defense) and called upon the members of the Washington community to stay tuned and be ready to assist. A lively question-and-answer session followed.</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \">Born in France, Arménag Aprahamian first visited Armenia following the 1988 Earthquake in Spitak to assist children traumatized by the quake via exposure to physical education and martial arts. Since 1991, he fought in Artsakh was initially along side of Leonid Azgaldyan, with whom he helped found the Liberation Army becoming its chief instructor. He participated in all major military operations in Shushi, Mardakert, and Kelbadjar. Between 1999 and 2003, Mr. Aprahamian was active with the Organization of Veterans of Artsakh war and was its representative in France. On December 17, 2004, he formed the National Council of Armenians from Western Armenia. In that capacity, he also oversaw the formation of the executive body of Western Armenia&mdash;a government in exile&mdash;in March 2011. Since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, the issue of security of Armenians there was in the center of his attention. He visited the country on several occasions during 2012-13 to help the local Armenian communities organize and care for their own economic and security needs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 626, 1240, 'und', 0, '<p>&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \">On August 29, 2013, Policy Forum Armenia held a discussion on conditions of Armenians in Syria. The featured speaker was Arménag Aprahamian, the President of Paris-based <a href=\"http://www.haybachdban.org/\">National Council of Armenians from Western Armenia</a>, an organization accredited by the United Nations to represent one of the indigenous people of Western Armenia. Mr. Aprahamian started his address by providing an overview of the vision and operations of the National Council and putting these in context of the wider fight for the Armenian cause. While discussing conditions of Armenians of Syria, he impressed upon the participants the gravity of the situation, especially of those communities that are close to the lines of infighting between government and rebel forces. He singled out the inability of the world-wide Armenian Diaspora to join forces as the main reason behind continued challenges faced by Armenians in Syria. He discussed the potential for political and diplomatic solutions to the security threat faced by many Armenian communities in Syria and emphasized that more innovative thinking and hard work would be required to provide the necessary protection for Armenians in Syria. He stressed that&mdash;due to differences in conditions facing different Armenian communities across that country&mdash;communities themselves should decide which response to choose (ranging from relocating abroad, including to Armenia, to organizing their own defense) and called upon the members of the Washington community to stay tuned and be ready to assist. A lively question-and-answer session followed.</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \">Born in France, Arménag Aprahamian first visited Armenia following the 1988 Earthquake in Spitak to assist children traumatized by the quake via exposure to physical education and martial arts. Since 1991, he fought in Artsakh was initially along side of Leonid Azgaldyan, with whom he helped found the Liberation Army becoming its chief instructor. He participated in all major military operations in Shushi, Mardakert, and Kelbadjar. Between 1999 and 2003, Mr. Aprahamian was active with the Organization of Veterans of Artsakh war and was its representative in France. On December 17, 2004, he formed the National Council of Armenians from Western Armenia. In that capacity, he also oversaw the formation of the executive body of Western Armenia&mdash;a government in exile&mdash;in March 2011. Since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, the issue of security of Armenians there was in the center of his attention. He visited the country on several occasions during 2012-13 to help the local Armenian communities organize and care for their own economic and security needs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'press_release', 0, 626, 1241, 'und', 0, '<p>&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \">On August 29, 2013, Policy Forum Armenia held a discussion on conditions of Armenians in Syria. The featured speaker was Arménag Aprahamian, the President of Paris-based <a href=\"http://www.haybachdban.org/\">National Council of Armenians from Western Armenia</a>, an organization accredited by the United Nations to represent one of the indigenous people of Western Armenia. Mr. Aprahamian started his address by providing an overview of the vision and operations of the National Council and putting these in context of the wider fight for the Armenian cause. While discussing conditions of Armenians of Syria, he impressed upon the participants the gravity of the situation, especially of those communities that are close to the lines of infighting between government and rebel forces. He singled out the inability of the world-wide Armenian Diaspora to join forces as the main reason behind continued challenges faced by Armenians in Syria. He discussed the potential for political and diplomatic solutions to the security threat faced by many Armenian communities in Syria and emphasized that more innovative thinking and hard work would be required to provide the necessary protection for Armenians in Syria. He stressed that&mdash;due to differences in conditions facing different Armenian communities across that country&mdash;communities themselves should decide which response to choose (ranging from relocating abroad, including to Armenia, to organizing their own defense) and called upon the members of the Washington community to stay tuned and be ready to assist. A lively question-and-answer session followed.</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \">Born in France, Arménag Aprahamian first visited Armenia following the 1988 Earthquake in Spitak to assist children traumatized by the quake via exposure to physical education and martial arts. Since 1991, he fought in the Artsakh war initially along side of Leonid Azgaldyan, whom he helped found the Liberation Army becoming its chief instructor. He participated in all major military operations in Shushi, Mardakert, and Kelbadjar. Between 1999 and 2003, Mr. Aprahamian was active with the Organization of Veterans of Artsakh war and was its representative in France. On December 17, 2004, he formed the National Council of Armenians from Western Armenia. In that capacity, he also oversaw the formation of the executive body of Western Armenia&mdash;a government in exile&mdash;in March 2011. Since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, the issue of security of Armenians there was in the center of his attention. He visited the country on several occasions during 2012-13 to help the local Armenian communities organize and care for their own economic and security needs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'event', 0, 627, 1234, 'und', 0, '<div><p style=\"text-align: left; \">On August 29, 2013, Policy Forum Armenia held a discussion on conditions of Armenians in Syria. The featured speaker was Arménag Aprahamian, the President of Paris-based&nbsp;<a href=\"http://www.haybachdban.org/\">National Council of Armenians from Western Armenia</a>, an organization accredited by the United Nations to represent one of the indigenous people of Western Armenia. Mr. Aprahamian started his address by providing an overview of the vision and operations of the National Council and putting these in context of the wider fight for the Armenian cause. While discussing conditions of Armenians of Syria, he impressed upon the participants the gravity of the situation, especially of those communities that are close to the lines of infighting between government and rebel forces. He singled out the inability of the world-wide Armenian Diaspora to join forces as the main reason behind continued challenges faced by Armenians in Syria. \r\n\r\nMr. Aprahamian discussed the potential for political and diplomatic solutions to the security threat faced by many Armenian communities in Syria and emphasized that more innovative thinking and hard work would be required to provide the necessary protection for Armenians in Syria. He stressed that&mdash;due to differences in conditions facing different Armenian communities across that country&mdash;communities themselves should decide which response to choose (ranging from relocating abroad, including to Armenia, to organizing their own defense) and called upon the members of the Washington community to stay tuned and be ready to assist. A lively question-and-answer session followed.</p><p style=\"text-align: left; \">\r\n\r\nBorn in France, Arménag Aprahamian first visited Armenia following the 1988 Earthquake in Spitak to assist children traumatized by the quake via exposure to physical education and martial arts. Since 1991, he fought in the Artsakh war initially along side of Leonid Azgaldyan, whom he helped found the Liberation Army becoming its chief instructor. He participated in all major military operations in Shushi, Mardakert, and Kelbadjar. Between 1999 and 2003, Mr. Aprahamian was active with the Organization of Veterans of Artsakh war and was its representative in France. On December 17, 2004, he formed the National Council of Armenians from Western Armenia. In that capacity, he also oversaw the formation of the executive body of Western Armenia&mdash;a government in exile&mdash;in March 2011. Since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, the issue of security of Armenians there was in the center of his attention. He visited the country on several occasions during 2012-13 to help the local Armenian communities organize and care for their own economic&nbsp;and security needs.</p></div><h5 style=\"text-align: left; \"><span style=\"color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">Pictures from the event are available in our</span><strong style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font: inherit; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">&nbsp;<a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/media-gallery/discussion-conditions-armenians-syria\"><font color=\"#00436f\"><span style=\"font: inherit;\">Media Gallery</span></font></a></strong><span style=\"color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); \">.</span></h5><div>&nbsp;</div>', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 633, 1242, 'und', 0, 'BELMONT, Mass.—Dr. Daron Acemoglu, the Elizabeth and James Killian Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Dr. David A. Grigorian, the co-founder of Policy Forum Armenia, will present “Armenia’s Economic Development: Prospects for Growth and Risks of Failure” on Wed., Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) in Belmont.\r\n\r\nIn this special forum, economist Daron Acemoglu will discuss his acclaimed book, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty (2012, co-authored by James A. Robinson). Why Nations Fail addresses a question that has stumped experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine? Economic analyst David Grigorian will address the specific case of Armenia today, drawing on Acemoglu’s general model and his own experience with the particularities of Armenia and the economic challenges it faces.\r\n\r\nAcemoglu received his Ph.D. in economics at the London School of Economics in 1992, and in 2005 received the John Bates Clark Medal awarded to economists under 40 judged to have made the most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge. His books include Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy (with James A. Robinson), which was awarded the Woodrow Wilson and the William Riker prizes, Introduction to Modern Economic Growth, and Why Nations Fail.\r\n\r\nGrigorian is a senior economist at the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Monetary and Capital Markets Department in Washington, D.C. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Maryland at College Park (2001). In his current position, he deals with a wide array of emerging market economies covering issues such as sovereign debt restructuring, public debt management strategy, and capital market development. He is a co-founder of Policy Forum Armenia (www.pf-armenia.org), a 501(c)3 non-profit think tank aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia’s economic development and national security.\r\n\r\nThe NAASR Bookstore will open at 7 p.m. the night of the lecture. The program is free and open to the general public. For more information about this program, call (617) 489-1610, e-mail hq@naasr.org, or write to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.', '', 'filtered_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 633, 1243, 'und', 0, 'BELMONT, Mass.—Dr. Daron Acemoglu, the Elizabeth and James Killian Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Dr. David A. Grigorian, the co-founder of Policy Forum Armenia, will present “Armenia’s Economic Development: Prospects for Growth and Risks of Failure” on Wed., Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) in Belmont.\r\n\r\nIn this special forum, economist Daron Acemoglu will discuss his acclaimed book, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty (2012, co-authored by James A. Robinson). Why Nations Fail addresses a question that has stumped experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine? Economic analyst David Grigorian will address the specific case of Armenia today, drawing on Acemoglu’s general model and his own experience with the particularities of Armenia and the economic challenges it faces.\r\n\r\nAcemoglu received his Ph.D. in economics at the London School of Economics in 1992, and in 2005 received the John Bates Clark Medal awarded to economists under 40 judged to have made the most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge. His books include Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy (with James A. Robinson), which was awarded the Woodrow Wilson and the William Riker prizes, Introduction to Modern Economic Growth, and Why Nations Fail.\r\n\r\nGrigorian is a senior economist at the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Monetary and Capital Markets Department in Washington, D.C. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Maryland at College Park (2001). In his current position, he deals with a wide array of emerging market economies covering issues such as sovereign debt restructuring, public debt management strategy, and capital market development. He is a co-founder of Policy Forum Armenia (www.pf-armenia.org), a 501(c)3 non-profit think tank aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia’s economic development and national security.\r\n\r\nThe NAASR Bookstore will open at 7 p.m. the night of the lecture. The program is free and open to the general public. For more information about this program, call (617) 489-1610, e-mail hq@naasr.org, or write to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.', '', 'filtered_html');
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('node', 'news', 0, 633, 1244, 'und', 0, '<p>BELMONT, Mass.&mdash;Dr. Daron Acemoglu, the Elizabeth and James Killian Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Dr. David A. Grigorian, the co-founder of Policy Forum Armenia, will present &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s Economic Development: Prospects for Growth and Risks of Failure&rdquo; on Wed., Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) in Belmont.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In this special forum, economist Daron Acemoglu will discuss his acclaimed book, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty (2012, co-authored by James A. Robinson).&nbsp; Why Nations Fail addresses a question that has stumped experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine? Economic analyst David Grigorian will address the specific case of Armenia today, drawing on Acemoglu&rsquo;s general model and his own experience with the particularities of Armenia and the economic challenges it faces.</p><p>Acemoglu received his Ph.D. in economics at the London School of Economics in 1992, and in 2005 received the John Bates Clark Medal awarded to economists under 40 judged to have made the most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge. His books include Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy (with James A. Robinson), which was awarded the Woodrow Wilson and the William Riker prizes, Introduction to Modern Economic Growth, and Why Nations Fail.</p><p>Grigorian is a senior economist at the International Monetary Fund&rsquo;s (IMF) Monetary and Capital Markets Department in Washington, D.C. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Maryland at College Park (2001). In his current position, he deals with a wide array of emerging market economies covering issues such as sovereign debt restructuring, public debt management strategy, and capital market development. He is a co-founder of Policy Forum Armenia (www.pf-armenia.org), a 501(c)3 non-profit think tank aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&rsquo;s economic development and national security.</p><p>The NAASR Bookstore will open at 7 p.m. the night of the lecture. The program is free and open to the general public. For more information about this program, call (617) 489-1610, e-mail hq@naasr.org, or write to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.</p><p>See the original article <a href=\"http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/09/20/forum-on-armenias-economy-to-feature-daron-acemoglu-david-grigorian/?fb_action_ids=207970362712846&amp;fb_action_types=og.likes&amp;fb_source=aggregation&amp;fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582\">here</a>.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 633, 1245, 'und', 0, '<p>BELMONT, Mass.&mdash;Dr. Daron Acemoglu, the Elizabeth and James Killian Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Dr. David A. Grigorian, the co-founder of Policy Forum Armenia, will present &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s Economic Development: Prospects for Growth and Risks of Failure&rdquo; on Wed., Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) in Belmont.</p><p>In this special forum, economist Daron Acemoglu will discuss his acclaimed book, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty (2012, co-authored by James A. Robinson).&nbsp; Why Nations Fail addresses a question that has stumped experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine? Economic analyst David Grigorian will address the specific case of Armenia today, drawing on Acemoglu&rsquo;s general model and his own experience with the particularities of Armenia and the economic challenges it faces.</p><p>Acemoglu received his Ph.D. in economics at the London School of Economics in 1992, and in 2005 received the John Bates Clark Medal awarded to economists under 40 judged to have made the most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge. His books include Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy (with James A. Robinson), which was awarded the Woodrow Wilson and the William Riker prizes, Introduction to Modern Economic Growth, and Why Nations Fail.</p><p>Grigorian is a senior economist at the International Monetary Fund&rsquo;s (IMF) Monetary and Capital Markets Department in Washington, D.C. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Maryland at College Park (2001). In his current position, he deals with a wide array of emerging market economies covering issues such as sovereign debt restructuring, public debt management strategy, and capital market development. He is a co-founder of Policy Forum Armenia (www.pf-armenia.org), a 501(c)3 non-profit think tank aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&rsquo;s economic development and national security.</p><p>The NAASR Bookstore will open at 7 p.m. the night of the lecture. The program is free and open to the general public. For more information about this program, call (617) 489-1610, e-mail hq@naasr.org, or write to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.</p><p>See the original article <a href=\"http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/09/20/forum-on-armenias-economy-to-feature-daron-acemoglu-david-grigorian/?fb_action_ids=207970362712846&amp;fb_action_types=og.likes&amp;fb_source=aggregation&amp;fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582\">here</a>.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 633, 1326, 'und', 0, '<p>BELMONT, Mass.&mdash;Dr. Daron Acemoglu, the Elizabeth and James Killian Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Dr. David A. Grigorian, the co-founder of Policy Forum Armenia, will present &ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s Economic Development: Prospects for Growth and Risks of Failure&rdquo; on Wed., Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) in Belmont.</p><p>In this special forum, economist Daron Acemoglu will discuss his acclaimed book, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty (2012, co-authored by James A. Robinson).&nbsp; Why Nations Fail addresses a question that has stumped experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine? Economic analyst David Grigorian will address the specific case of Armenia today, drawing on Acemoglu&rsquo;s general model and his own experience with the particularities of Armenia and the economic challenges it faces.</p><p>Acemoglu received his Ph.D. in economics at the London School of Economics in 1992, and in 2005 received the John Bates Clark Medal awarded to economists under 40 judged to have made the most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge. His books include Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy (with James A. Robinson), which was awarded the Woodrow Wilson and the William Riker prizes, Introduction to Modern Economic Growth, and Why Nations Fail.</p><p>Grigorian is a senior economist at the International Monetary Fund&rsquo;s (IMF) Monetary and Capital Markets Department in Washington, D.C. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Maryland at College Park (2001). In his current position, he deals with a wide array of emerging market economies covering issues such as sovereign debt restructuring, public debt management strategy, and capital market development. He is a co-founder of Policy Forum Armenia (www.pf-armenia.org), a 501(c)3 non-profit think tank aimed at strengthening discourse on Armenia&rsquo;s economic development and national security.</p><p>The NAASR Bookstore will open at 7 p.m. the night of the lecture. The program is free and open to the general public. For more information about this program, call (617) 489-1610, e-mail hq@naasr.org, or write to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.</p><p>See the original article <a href=\"http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/09/20/forum-on-armenias-economy-to-feature-daron-acemoglu-david-grigorian/?fb_action_ids=207970362712846&amp;fb_action_types=og.likes&amp;fb_source=aggregation&amp;fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582\">here</a>.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 633, 1327, 'und', 0, '<p>WASHINGTON, DC.&mdash;On July 2<sup>nd</sup>, the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council hosted an off-the-record workshop on Armenia&rsquo;s relationship with the West and the future vision for the Caucasus organized jointly with Policy Forum Armenia. The workshop built upon the discussions that took place in May 2013 (on Armenia-NATO relations), which brought together a prominent line-up of experts and policymakers with interest in Armenia and the Caucasus. Participants of the workshop included high-level representatives from the State Department, Pentagon, National Security Council, main foreign policy think tanks headquartered in Washington. A Position Paper entitled &quot;Armenia and the West: A New Vision for the Caucasus&quot;, shared by PFA with the participants ahead of the workshop, helped kick off the discussion.&nbsp;PFA was represented by members of its Executive and Academic Boards. More details about the workshop will be released soon.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 633, 1340, 'und', 0, '<p>WASHINGTON, DC.&mdash;On July 2<sup>nd</sup>, the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council hosted an off-the-record workshop on Armenia&rsquo;s relationship with the West and the future vision for the Caucasus organized jointly with Policy Forum Armenia. The workshop built upon the discussions that took place in May 2013 (on Armenia-NATO relations), which brought together a prominent line-up of experts and policymakers with interest in Armenia and the Caucasus. Participants of the workshop included high-level representatives from the State Department, Pentagon, National Security Council, main foreign policy think tanks headquartered in Washington. A Position Paper entitled &quot;Armenia and the West: A New Vision for the Caucasus&quot;, shared by PFA with the participants ahead of the workshop, helped kick off the discussion.&nbsp;PFA was represented by members of its Executive and Academic Boards. More details about the workshop will be released soon. Pictures from the event are available in our <a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/media-gallery/joint-workshop-atlantic-council-armenia-and-west\">Media Gallery</a>.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 633, 1341, 'und', 0, '<p>WASHINGTON, DC.&mdash;On July 2<sup>nd</sup>, the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council hosted an off-the-record workshop on Armenia&rsquo;s relationship with the West and the future vision for the Caucasus organized jointly with Policy Forum Armenia. The workshop built upon the discussions that took place in May 2013 (on Armenia-NATO relations), which brought together a prominent line-up of experts and policymakers with interest in Armenia and the Caucasus. Participants of the workshop included high-level representatives from the State Department, Pentagon, National Security Council, main foreign policy think tanks headquartered in Washington. A Position Paper entitled &quot;Armenia and the West: A New Vision for the Caucasus&quot;, shared by PFA with the participants ahead of the workshop, helped kick off the discussion.&nbsp;PFA was represented by members of its Executive and Academic Boards. More details about the workshop will be released soon. Pictures from the event are available in our <strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/media-gallery/joint-workshop-atlantic-council-armenia-and-west\">Media Gallery</a></strong>.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 633, 1349, 'und', 0, '<p>WASHINGTON, DC.&mdash;On July 2<sup>nd</sup>, the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council hosted an off-the-record workshop on Armenia&rsquo;s relationship with the West and the future vision for the Caucasus organized jointly with Policy Forum Armenia. The workshop built upon the discussions that took place in May 2013 (on Armenia-NATO relations), which brought together a prominent line-up of experts and policymakers with interest in Armenia and the Caucasus. Participants of the workshop included high-level representatives from the State Department, Pentagon, National Security Council, main foreign policy think tanks headquartered in Washington. A Position Paper entitled &quot;Armenia and the West: A New Vision for the Caucasus&quot;, shared by PFA with the participants ahead of the workshop, helped kick off the discussion.&nbsp;PFA was represented by members of its Executive and Academic Boards. More details about the workshop will be released soon. Pictures from the event are available in our <strong><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/media-gallery/joint-workshop-atlantic-council-armenia-and-west\">Media Gallery</a></strong>.</p>', '', 'full_html'),
('node', 'news', 0, 635, 1247, 'und', 0, '<table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"float: left; text-align: left;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ptk7PYTpLSU/UPkbl6v2JdI/AAAAAAAAAKs/uW0N6SAcZ6E/s1600/p-022221-00-43.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"231\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ptk7PYTpLSU/UPkbl6v2JdI/AAAAAAAAAKs/uW0N6SAcZ6E/s320/p-022221-00-43.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">EU-Armenia, Foto:&nbsp;<a href=\"http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/index.cfm?sitelang=en\" target=\"_blank\">Photographic service of the Council of the EU &copy;</a></span></span> <span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><a href=\"http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/index.cfm?sitelang=en\" target=\"_blank\">European Communities</a></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b>Elections in the Post-Soviet space </b><b><span class=\"b4\">are i</span><span class=\"b3\">ncr</span><span class=\"b2\">easin</span><span class=\"b1\">gl</span>y an European task and respon<span class=\"b1\">si</span><span class=\"b2\">bilit</span><span class=\"b3\">y but mostly are </span><span class=\"b5\">leaving everything the</span><span class=\"b4\"> wa</span><span class=\"b3\">y it</span><span class=\"b4\"> is.</span></b><span class=\"b4\"> Just take a look on Ukraine. Armenia is also preparing to hold elections in 2013. The European Union is getting ready for surprises but is more prepared after the Ukraine&#39;s election in 2012.</span> Perhaps...<i><b> </b></i></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b><span class=\"b3\">There are more &quot;sticks&quot; than &quot;carrots&quot; for EU support of EU-Armenian relations. But Russia </span></b></span><b><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">is offering </span></b><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\"><b>more &quot;security carrots&quot; than &quot;democracy sticks&quot;.</b></span> But everything depends on Armenia.</span><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">On February 18, 2013 Armenia is going to be asked to elect a new President. </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">The 2013 Presidential election campaign officially launched today (21 January 2013), <a href=\"http://www.armenianow.com/vote_2013/42692/presidential_election2013_candidates_campaign_officially_launched\" target=\"_blank\">as ArmeniaNow.com reported</a>. And the candidates are already known: <a href=\"http://www.elect.am/serzh-sargsyan/\" target=\"_blank\">Serzh Sargsyan</a> (see his campaign platform <a href=\"http://www.serzhsargsyan.am/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>), the Armenian President in office; <a href=\"http://www.elect.am/hrant-bagratyan/\" target=\"_blank\">Hrant Bagratyan</a> (see his </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">campaign platform</span> <a href=\"http://bagratyanpresident.am/index.php/am/2013-01-14-16-16-09/2013-01-14-16-23-40#\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>), a former prime minister and the leader of Freedom party; <a href=\"http://www.elect.am/raffi-hovannisian/\" target=\"_blank\">Raffi Hovhannisian</a> (see his </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">campaign platform</span> <a href=\"http://raffi4president.am/en\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>), a former foreign minister and the leader of Zharangutiun (Heritage) party; <a href=\"http://www.elect.am/paruyr-hayrikyan/\" target=\"_blank\">Paruyr Hayrikyan</a> (see his </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">campaign platform</span> <a href=\"http://hayrikyan.com/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>), a prominent Soviet-era dissident and the head of the National Self-Determination Party; <a href=\"http://www.elect.am/arman-melikyan/\" target=\"_blank\">Arman Melikyan</a>, a former foreign minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; <a href=\"http://www.elect.am/andreas-ghukasyan/\" target=\"_blank\">Andrias Ghukasyan</a>, a political analyst and head of Radio Hay; <a href=\"http://ru.sedrakyan.net/ob-avtore\" target=\"_blank\">Vardan Sedrakyan</a>, a specialist in epics, and <a href=\"http://www.elect.am/aram-harutyunyan/\" target=\"_blank\">Aram Harutyunyan</a>, leader of National Consent party will compete for the Presidency.</span><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">However, <b>Stepa Safaryan, general secretary of Zharangutiun (Heritage) party pointed out Serzh Sargsyan and Raffi Hovannisian as most likely vote-getters in the presidential elections</b>, cited by <a href=\"http://arka.am/en/news/politics/opinion_serzh_sargsyan_and_raffi_hovannisian_most_likely_vote_getters_in_armenian_presidential_elect/\" target=\"_blank\">Arka News Agency</a>. Of course, the other candidates could seek avenues to mount a challenge to the present president. But the opposition is so fragmentated and n</span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">o one of the candidates is going to back any of the eight candidates running for president in Armenia, <a href=\"http://www.armenianow.com/vote_2013/42641/armenia_presidential_election_2013_single_candidate_search\" target=\"_blank\">as ArmeniaNow.com reported</a>.&nbsp; </span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b>It is inevitab<span class=\"b1\">le</span><span class=\"b2\"> that</span><span class=\"b3\"> there </span><span class=\"b2\">would</span><span class=\"b1\"> b</span>e disputes about the outcome of the election.</b> But the Justice Minister Hrayr Tovmasyan points out in advance that the 2013 presidential election will be most democratic in Armenia&rsquo;s history. &ldquo;I am convinced that this election will be most stainless and democratic and that it will leave behind all the previous elections,&rdquo; <a href=\"http://arka.am/en/news/politics/minister_2013_presidential_election_to_be_most_democratic_in_armenia_s_history/\" target=\"_blank\">he was quoted</a>. </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">Armenian Police Vladimir Gasparyan speaking at the opening of a three-day workshop for prosecutors and defense attorneys in Yerevan stated that </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">Armenia will pass the upcoming election test with brilliance, <a href=\"http://www.armenianow.com/vote_2013/42602/armenia_presidential_elections2013_police_chief_vladimir_gasparyan\" target=\"_blank\">he was quoted</a>.</span><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b><span class=\"b5\">Does Europe tru</span><span class=\"b4\">st</span><span class=\"b3\"> them t</span><span class=\"b2\">o pl</span><span class=\"b1\">ay</span> their part correctly as guardian of the Justice? Or does Europe trust Foreign Minister </b></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b>Edward Nalbandian who also <a href=\"http://www.armenianow.com/vote_2013/42438/armenia_presidential_election_osce_odihr_observation_mission\" target=\"_blank\">stated</a> that the Armenian government is committed to holding next month&rsquo;s presidential election in conformity with European standards. Election in conformity with European standards will be the key, but </b><b><span class=\"b5\">it seems to me</span><span class=\"b4\"> </span><span class=\"b3\">a</span><span class=\"b2\"> </span><span class=\"b1\">ma</span>tter of great urgency that there will be another reality.</b></span><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">Of course it is hard to expect from Non-EU member to compete with standards within the European Union, although member states faces many difficulties coming from membership. &quot;(T)he expansion of EU decision making limits the range of party policy positions at elections. Policy convergence means parties taking positions in the issue space closer to those held by their rivals and that consequently the distribution of party positions becomes more compact. EU legislation restricts the policy alternatives available to governments and, due to the electoral link, to parties and citizens. The more responsibility is assigned to the EU, the less room there is for parties to offer credible policy alternatives that differ markedly from EU legislation,&quot; <a href=\"http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1475-6765.2012.02063.x/pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Kyriaki Nanou and Han Dorussen argue</a>.</span><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b>T<span class=\"b2\">he</span><span class=\"b3\"> EU </span><span class=\"b4\">would b</span><span class=\"b5\">e well advised t</span><span class=\"b4\">o </span><span class=\"b3\">set </span><span class=\"b2\">very</span><span class=\"b1\"> a</span>mbitious targets for its Eastern Partnership policy as the evident risks to democracy in the immediate neighbourhood call for greater sustainability and consequence.</b></span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">What is happening with freedoms in Armenia?</span></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b><b class=\"b3\">The </b><b class=\"b2\">truth </b><b class=\"b3\">is</b><b class=\"b2\"> that </b><b class=\"b3\">time is ru</b><b class=\"b2\">nnin</b><b class=\"b1\">g</b><b class=\"b2\"> out </b></b><b><b class=\"b2\"><b class=\"b2\">and</b><b class=\"b1\"> the</b><b class=\"b2\">re is st</b><b class=\"b1\">il</b>l a lot to be done in Armenia.</b></b><span class=\"b2\"> </span>Recently <a href=\"http://www.freedomhouse.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Freedom House</a>, <a href=\"http://www.controlrisks.com/Pages/Home.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Control Risks</a>, <a href=\"http://www.fraserinstitute.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Fraser Institute</a>, </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><a href=\"http://www.weforum.org/\" target=\"_blank\">World Economic Forum</a> and <a href=\"http://www.pwc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Price Waterhouse Cooper</a> published their recent reports on freedoms in the world. <b>But a<span class=\"b1\">ct</span><span class=\"b2\">ual r</span><span class=\"b5\">esults </span><span class=\"b4\">di</span><span class=\"b3\">ffe</span><span class=\"b2\">r fro</span><span class=\"b1\">m </span>those reflected in the forward-looking statements.</b>&nbsp;</span><br /><ul><li><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">Regarding Freedom House report &quot;<a href=\"http://www.freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/FIW%202013%20Booklet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Freedom in the World 2013</a>&quot; Armenia is a partly free country, the net is partly free, but the press is not free. The regime is classified as a semi-consolidated authoritarian regime.</span></li><li><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">Due to the &quot;<a href=\"http://www.controlrisks.com/RiskMap/Pages/Security.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">RiskMap Report 2013</a>&quot; Armenia is presented as a country with high political and security risks. On issues related the economy for Armenia </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">is s</span><span class=\"b4\">om</span><span class=\"b5\">e light a</span><span class=\"b4\">t </span><span class=\"b3\">the</span><span class=\"b2\"> end of t</span><span class=\"b3\">he tunnel.</span></span></li><li><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">The Fraser Institute report &quot;<a href=\"http://www.fraserinstitute.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=4051\" target=\"_blank\">Economic Freedom of the World</a>&quot; ranks Armenia #53 and considers it as a relatively free country. The 2013 election should be a signal to Europe: We are carrying out our European path.</span></span></li><li><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">The World Economic Forum report &quot;</span></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"js-wrap\"><a href=\"http://www.weforum.org/reports/global-enabling-trade-report-2012\" target=\"_blank\">The Global Enabling Trade Report 2012</a>&quot; </span>ranks Armenia #13 worldwide for market access and #59 in terms of the overall extent to which it has developed institutions, policies, and services facilitating the free flow of goods over borders.</span></li><li><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">Price Waterhouse Cooper, in its most recent &quot;<a href=\"http://www.pwc.com/am/en/assets/pdf/am_doing_business_guide_2011-2012.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Doing Business in Armenia guide</a>&quot;, reported that, &ldquo;Armenia encourages foreign trade and investment,&rdquo; and that, &ldquo;(s)urveys suggest that Armenia is a relatively easy country in which to do business.&rdquo;&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\"> </span></span></li></ul></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">Concerns are coming from other sides, too.</span></span><br /><ul><li><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\"><a href=\"http://www.pf-armenia.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Policy Forum Armenia</a> r</span>eport, entitled <a href=\"http://pfa-dr.ectostarpark.com/press-release/pfa-special-report-armenias-2012-parliamentary-election\" target=\"_blank\">&ldquo;Armenia&rsquo;s 2012 Parliamentary Election&rdquo;</a> summarizes: &quot;(The report) demonstrates that the election fraud in Armenia has taken subtle and sophisticated forms that are difficult to detect because it occurs mostly outside of the polling stations. In fact, while acknowledging some marginal improvements, we believe that the systematic fraud applied by the authorities (and uncovered in the Report via the use of statistical techniques) was sufficient to materially alter the election outcome.&quot;</span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">A delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has already </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">concerns mainly about the &ldquo;continuing substantial inaccuracies in the voter lists&rdquo;, as <a href=\"http://www.armenianow.com/vote_2013/42643/armenia_presidential_election_2013_pace_observers\" target=\"_blank\">ArmeniaNow.com reported</a>. Head of the PACE election monitoring mission Karin Woldseth said that &ldquo;the delegation was disappointed to see that the previous recommendations regarding the voter lists have not been implemented&rdquo;, whereas &ldquo;accurate voter lists are an essential prerequisite for any proper election.&rdquo;</span></li></ul></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b class=\"b3\">So</b><b class=\"b2\"> ther</b><b class=\"b1\">e ar</b><b class=\"b2\">e a </b><b class=\"b3\">lot</b><b class=\"b2\"> of </b><b class=\"b1\">issues to be solved before the election. Analyzing the results&nbsp;I conclude: In terms of democratic freedoms Armenia demonstrates a lack of political commitment on democracy progress. In terms of economic freedoms Armenia is making some valuable progress.</b> These developments could have </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">consequences for the relations with the European Union and Russia. But is the European Union prepared for surprises?</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">Shuttle diplomacy and reassurement over European path</span></span></b><br />&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eZpq_ziuXtw/UPkqWKUjvYI/AAAAAAAAAK8/yssoqeF7yM0/s1600/Shuttle+Diplomacy.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"221\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eZpq_ziuXtw/UPkqWKUjvYI/AAAAAAAAAK8/yssoqeF7yM0/s320/Shuttle+Diplomacy.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">Shuttle Diplomacy, Graphic: <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/pages/EU21Global/122136604509551\" target=\"_blank\">@Hristofor Hrisoskulov</a></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">A lot of diplomats &quot;shuttled&quot; between Brussels and Yerevan and vice versa in 2012 and at the beginning of 2013. On the European side, <a href=\"http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_PRES-12-315_en.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Herman van Rompuy</a>, <a href=\"http://www.armradio.am/en/2012/12/01/jose-manuel-barroso-it-is-amazing-to-see-what-armenia-has-given-to-the-civilization/\" target=\"_blank\">Jose Manuel Barroso</a>, <a href=\"http://eunewsletter.am/eu-armenia/stefan-fule-in-armenia-ongoing-reforms-discussed\" target=\"_blank\">Stefan Füle</a> and <a href=\"http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/131321.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Catherine Ashton</a> visited Yerevan.</span> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">The EU member states Bulgaria, Sweden and Poland supported the EU in this context. In December 2012 <a href=\"http://www.mfa.government.bg/en/events/6/1/603/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslav Sikorski paid a visit to Armenia</a> during a trip in the South Caucasus.<b> </b>On the Armenian side, <a href=\"http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-12-159_en.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Serzh Sargsyan</a> (President of Armenia), <a href=\"http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-11-873_en.htm?locale=en\" target=\"_blank\">Tigran Sargsyan</a> (Prime Minister), <a href=\"http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-8_en.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Hovik Abramyan</a> (Speaker of the Armenian Parliament), <a href=\"http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/41688/presidential_election_gagik_tsarukyan_prosperous_armenia_party_brussels\" target=\"_blank\">Gagik Tsarukyan</a> (Leader of the Armenian political party &quot;Prosperous Armenia&quot;) and <a href=\"http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/video/player.cfm?ref=91243\" target=\"_blank\">Edward Nalbandian</a> (Armenian Foreign Minsiter) visited Brussels.</span></div><br /><p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">The question is: <b>What is hidden behind all the statemnets made after every meeting?</b> In order to answer the question I picked up four words, namely <b>elections</b>, <b>Association Agreement</b>, <b>visa </b>(agreement, facilitation and liberalization) and <b>Europ+EU</b> as repeated in the statements attached as a link behind the mentioned names above. <b>In this way a specific picture of EU-Armenia relations shifted</b></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b><span class=\"b3\"> into t</span><span class=\"b4\">he </span><span class=\"b5\">foreground</span><span class=\"b4\"> as</span><span class=\"b3\"> a model of future relations: <u><i>There are more &quot;sticks&quot; than &quot;carrots&quot; for EU support of EU-Armenian relations</i></u>.<i>&nbsp;</i></span></b></span><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">The </span><span class=\"b3\">words<b> </b>&quot;Association Agreemnet&quot; and &quot;visa </span></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">(agreement, facilitation and liberalization)&quot; have been used by the officials 17 times, whereas the word &quot;elections&quot; - 19 times. <b>&quot;Association Agreement&quot; and &quot;visa&quot; appear in the context of offering something, of rewarding some performance done, whereas &quot;elections&quot; has been used in the context of advising and instructing the other part (in this sense Armenia) to be crucial on the upcoming events in the country.</b> With regard to &quot;Europe+EU&quot; (counted 66 times) I </span>should like briefly to go into the common proposals in the statements which now come wit<span class=\"b1\">hi</span><span class=\"b2\">n a w</span><span class=\"b3\">ide</span><span class=\"b4\">r context; </span><span class=\"b3\">thi</span><span class=\"b2\">s app</span><span class=\"b1\">li</span>es, for example, to the proposal on supporting the European path of Armenia and </span></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\"><span class=\"b2\">c</span><span class=\"b1\">on</span>firming the appro<span class=\"b1\">ac</span><span class=\"b2\">h alr</span><span class=\"b3\">ead</span><span class=\"b4\">y taken</span>.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">It seems that &quot;European officials are still skeptical about the Armenian government&rsquo;s intention to integrate with the European community. <b>They do not completely trust these assurances as all steps taken by Armenia so far in this direction have mostly been of a declarative nature.</b> Meanwhile, democratic reforms that are a condition for European integration have not become tangible in Armenia yet. (...) Still, political analyst Levon Margaryan thinks that the relations between Armenia and the EU have been taken to a new level where Armenia should prove that it is ready to bring not only its laws, but also practices in line with European standards,&quot; <a href=\"http://www.armenianow.com/news/42460/armenia_eu_hovik_abrahamyan_visit_brussels\" target=\"_blank\">as ArmeniaNow.com reported</a>.</span></span><br /><br /> <b><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">Growing competition between the West and Russia for influence in Armenia: Economy and democracy vs. Security?</span></span></b><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">A lot of diplomats &quot;shuttled&quot; between Yerevan and Moscow, too. <a href=\"http://massispost.com/archives/6375\" target=\"_blank\">Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan visited Russia</a> </span></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">attending the <a href=\"http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_12_19/Moscow-to-host-three-CIS-related-summits-today/\" target=\"_blank\">summits of the CIS and the Russia-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)</a>, Vladimir Putin, </span></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">Dmitri Medvedev and Chairman of both Chambers of the State Duma and ministers visited on their side Yerevan. And Mr. Putin goes further: &quot;I want to reiterate that the countries of the Commonwealth are our most intimate &ndash; in the true sense of the word &ndash; strategic partners. Virtually all aspects of interaction with you are vital for our country,&quot; Putin said <a href=\"http://massispost.com/archives/6375\" target=\"_blank\">cited by Massis Post</a>. </span></span><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b2\">I</span><span class=\"b4\">t w</span><span class=\"b5\">as not wi</span><span class=\"b4\">thout </span><span class=\"b3\">rea</span><span class=\"b2\">son t</span><span class=\"b1\">ha</span>t US Foreign Minister Hillary Clinton warned on the situation in the Post-Soviet space and the rising attempts of Vladimir Putin to get closer </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">to Russia </span>all the neighbouring countries. As she stated: <b>&quot;There is a move to re-Sovietise the region.&quot;</b> Andrew Weiss, who served on the National Security Council under President Bill Clinton and now is at the US Rand Corporation think-tank, said Mr. Putin made clear when he returned to the presidency this year that he planned to focus on bolstering Russia&rsquo;s influence in its neighbourhood. But he added: &quot;Elites in the neighbouring states show little enthusiasm for simply handing over their autonomy and sovereignty to Moscow,&quot; </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><a href=\"http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/a5b15b14-3fcf-11e2-9f71-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2IUXTW3Cf\" target=\"_blank\">Charles Clover writes in the Financial Times</a>.</span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">&quot;</span></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">2012 has showed that Armenian authorities feel like developing closer relations with the West, but are not going to spoil relations with Russia. Moreover, a certain division of labor could be noticed &ndash; Armenia seems to have entrusted its security to Russia, as a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, but is seeking to integrate with the European Union and develop closer ties with the United States in terms of economy and democracy,&quot; <a href=\"http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/42304/armenia_foreign_policy_karabakh_azerbaijan_russia_eu_usa_genocide_2012\" target=\"_blank\">ArmeniaNow.com reported</a>. And </span></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">Secretary of Armenia&rsquo;s National Security Council Artur Baghdasaryan </span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">believes that <b>Armenia&rsquo;s integration into the European Union (EU) should not be contrasted with its integration into the Eurasian Union</b>, <a href=\"http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/01/11/eurasian-union-european-union/#.UPOmK5JoSm0.facebook\" target=\"_blank\">Tert.am reports</a>.</span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\"><b>&nbsp;</b></span></span><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\"><b>In relations with countries in the Post-Soviet space Russia&#39;s approach differs from the EU&#39;s approach. <u><i>There are more &quot;security carrots&quot; than &quot;democracy sticks&quot;</i></u>.</b></span></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">&nbsp; So just let me give few examples of how Russia is trying to integrate Armenia into Russian-led organizations:</span></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">&nbsp;</span></span></p><br /><ul><li><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">Russian news agencies, citing the Kremlin, disseminated a slightly odd piece of information saying that &ldquo;Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed with the government&rsquo;s proposal to hold talks with Armenia for the signing of the agreement on the development of military-technical cooperation&rdquo; and that &ldquo;after the conclusion of the negotiations the Government has been instructed to sign an agreement with this country&rdquo;, <a href=\"http://www.armenianow.com/karabakh/42571/armenia_russia_military_cooperation_azerbaijan_karabakh_defense_treaty\" target=\"_blank\">as ArmeniaNow.com reported</a>.</span></span></li><li><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">And </span></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><a href=\"http://english.pravda.ru/world/ussr/11-01-2013/123447-russia_armenia-0/#.UPj8hbxEu1c.facebook\" target=\"_blank\">Lisa Karpova in Pravda.ru</a>: &quot;To further develop Russian-Armenian cooperation, President Vladimir Putin&#39;s Government appointed the Russian Transport Minister, Maxim Sokolov, as co-chairman for the bilateral commission, which has the task of drafting a roadmap of Russian-Armenian economic relations until 2020.&quot;</span></li><li><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\">A joint document was signed after Dmitri Medvedev visited Armenia. It envisaged Russian military presence in Armenia and joint protection of Armenia&rsquo;s borders by the Armenian and Russian armed forces, <a href=\"http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/01/11/eurasian-union-european-union/#.UPOmK5JoSm0.facebook\" target=\"_blank\">as Tert.am reported</a>.</span></li></ul><p><br /><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">Due to its geographic location Armenia is really concerned on security issues. For sure, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and other conflicts in the immediate neighbourhood are topics that should be taken into consideration regarding Armeian foreign policy. <a href=\"http://nationalinterest.org/profile/gordon-n-bardos\" target=\"_blank\">Gordon N. Bardos</a> in his article <a href=\"http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/spectre-separatism-haunts-europe-7979#.UPgbT6UNC1c.facebook\" target=\"_blank\">&quot;</a></span></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><a href=\"http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/spectre-separatism-haunts-europe-7979#.UPgbT6UNC1c.facebook\" target=\"_blank\">Spectre of Separatism Haunts Europe</a></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><a href=\"http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/spectre-separatism-haunts-europe-7979#.UPgbT6UNC1c.facebook\" target=\"_blank\">&quot;</a> in <a href=\"http://nationalinterest.org/\" target=\"_blank\">The National Interest</a> argues that &quot;<span class=\"b3\">Balkans and the Caucasus (are) the stuff of nightmares for cartographers and diplomats trying to reconcile competing ethnic claims to territory. In the Caucasus and eastern Anatolia, Abkhazia, Chechnya, Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia, the Kurds of eastern Turkey and northern Iraq, and the Turks of northern Cyprus have all declared some form of independence or autonomy&quot;.</span></span><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\">Of course, in accordance with Russian offers the European Union is asked to do more than statements: &quot;<span class=\"nannbl\">The EU has a strong interest in a stable neighbourhood; this is the raison d&#39;etre of our European Neighbourhood and Eastern Partnership policies. The EU actively supports the mediation process of the OSCE Minsk Group, we have important assistance projects to build confidence between the parties to the conflict, while the efforts of our EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the conflict in Georgia, Ambassador Lefort, fully support the efforts of the Minsk Group in a complementary way&quot;, </span></span></span><a href=\"http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/interviews/6368/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\"><span class=\"nannbl\"><span class=\"nannbl\">Jose Manuel Barroso stated in a interview with </span></span></span></span></a><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><span class=\"b3\"><a href=\"http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/interviews/6368/\" target=\"_blank\"><span class=\"nannbl\"><span class=\"nannbl\"><span class=\"nannbl\">Mediamax</span></span></span></a>.</span></span><br /><br /> <span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b><span class=\"b3\"><span class=\"b2\">It is</span><span class=\"b1\"> t</span>herefore my view that the European Union<span class=\"b3\"> would </span><span class=\"b2\">have be</span><span class=\"b3\">en </span><span class=\"b4\">well</span><span class=\"b3\">-advised </span><span class=\"b2\">to </span></span></b></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b><span class=\"b3\"><span class=\"b2\"><b class=\"b5\">precisely </b>f</span><span class=\"b1\">ol</span>low the thinking in Armenia, but </span></b></span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b><span class=\"b3\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;,sans-serif;\"><b><span class=\"b3\">consequently and sustainable </span></b></span>to</span> stand up for rights, international conventions and democracy<span class=\"b3\"> and </span></b><b>als<span class=\"b1\">o </span><span class=\"b2\">stron</span><span class=\"b3\">gly</span><span class=\"b4\"> reaffirm </span><span class=\"b3\">as </span><span class=\"b2\">a pre</span><span class=\"b1\">ss</span>ing requiremen<span class=\"b1\">t </span><span class=\"b2\">of free and fair elections.</span></b></span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>See the original article <a href=\"http://eu21global.blogspot.com/2013/01/armenia-reloaded-2013-elections-and.html\">here</a>.</p>', '', 'full_html');
