Month: December 2020

Thousands rally in Armenia in renewed call for PM’s dismissal

Zhanna Nahapetian
WION News
Dec 6 2020
AFP

Thousands of protesters rallied in the Armenian capital on Saturday in a renewed call for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign over a controversial peace agreement with Azerbaijan.

Pashinyan announced the Moscow-brokered agreement on November 9, ending six weeks of war over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh that left thousands dead.

Also read | Strategic inferences from Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict 2020, post ceasefire

Under the deal, Armenia agreed to cede three districts to Baku in addition four others Azerbaijani forces had won back during the fighting that had been controlled by Armenian separatists since the 1990s.

The decision sparked fury in Armenia, where demonstrators stormed and ransacked government buildings and have since staged near daily demonstrations in Yerevan, demanding that Pashinyan step down.

While the prime minister has so far weathered the storm, Saturday saw the biggest rally yet, with some 10,000 protesters gathering in downtown Yerevan's Liberty Square, according to AFP journalists at the scene.

The protesters chanted "Nikol the traitor" and "Armenia without Nikol" and waved the flags of Armenia and Karabakh. 

"Nikol is a political corpse. I am not planning on following a corpse into the grave," Manya Khachatryan, 49, told AFP. 

"Because of him our homeland, our people have received such wounds that it will take several generations to heal them," she said.

Pashinyan, whose wife and son were at the front during the conflict, has said the peace deal was Armenia's only option and that it ensured Karabakh's survival.

Even though the ethnic Armenian enclave lost swathes of territory, it will see its future guaranteed by nearly 2,000 Russian peacekeepers to be deployed for a renewable five-year mandate.

On Wednesday Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed Pashinyan's "courage" in agreeing to the peace deal, calling the decision "necessary" but "painful".

The Armenian authorities last month said they had thwarted a plot to assassinate the prime minister. 

Pashinyan has said he has no plans to resign and in a televised address on Saturday said that his government's priority is returning Armenia's prisoners of war and the bodies of those who died in the fighting.

Armenian protesters demand prime minister quit over deal with Nagorno-Karabakh

Shushan Frangulian
The Guardian, UK
Dec 6 2020

Ceding of land to Azerbaijan by Nikol Pashinyan in return for peace sparks fury in Yerevan

Tens of thousands of opposition supporters have marched through the Armenian capital to call for the resignation of the country’s prime minister because of his handling of the conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

In six weeks of fierce fighting that ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal on 10 November, the Azerbaijani army reclaimed lands that Armenian forces have held for more than a quarter of a century.

Armenia’s opposition parties warned the prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, that there would be civil disobedience across the country if he does not resign by midday on Tuesday. Pashinyan has refused to step down, defending the peace agreement as a painful but necessary move that prevented Azerbaijan from overrunning the entire Nagorno-Karabakh region.

More than 20,000 protesters rallied in Yerevan on Saturday, chanting, “Nikol, you traitor!” and “Nikol, go away!” and then marched to the prime minister’s official residence.

“The seat of the prime minister of Armenia is currently being occupied by a political corpse,” Artur Vanetsyan, the leader of the opposition party Homeland and the former head of the National Security Service, said at the rally.

 

Several priests of the Armenian Apostolic church joined the protest, denouncing Pashinyan for allowing Azerbaijan to take over some holy sites.

Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994. That conflict left not only Nagorno-Karabakh itself but large chunks of surrounding lands in Armenian hands.

In 44 days of fighting that began on 27 September, Azerbaijani troops routed the Armenian forces and wedged deep into Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing Armenia to accept the 10 November peace deal that returned a significant part of the separatist region to Azerbaijan. It also obliged Armenia to hand over all the areas it held outside Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan completed reclaiming those territories on Tuesday when it took over the Lachin region located between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia. Azerbaijan celebrated the end of fighting as a national triumph, and President Ilham Aliyev established a new 8 November national holiday called Victory Day to commemorate the event.

           

Armenian opposition leaders hold Pashinyan responsible for failing to negotiate an earlier end to the hostilities at terms that could have been more beneficial for Armenia. They have emphasised, however, that the opposition was not pushing for the annulment of the peace deal.

Veteran politician Vazgen Manukyan, who 17 opposition parties have nominated as their candidate for prime minister, said at Saturday’s rally that his transition government would seek to renegotiate some aspects of the 10 November peace deal.

Manukyan, 71, served as prime minister in 1990-91, when Armenia was part of the Soviet Union, and later served as defence minister during the separatist war.

Azerbaijan on Thursday released information on its military casualties from the latest fighting. Its defence ministry said 2,783 troops were killed and more than 100 were still missing and its government said 94 of its civilians were killed and more than 400 wounded.

Armenia’s health ministry said on Wednesday that at least 2,718 Armenian servicemen had been killed in the fighting. At least 55 Armenian civilians were also among the casualties.

Russia deployed nearly 2,000 peacekeepers for at least five years to monitor the peace deal and to facilitate the return of refugees. The Russian troops will also ensure safe transit between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia across the Lachin region.


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/05/armenian-protesters-demand-prime-minister-quit-over-deal-with-nagorno-karabakh


​Azerbaijan flag is raised on Armenian church, says Armenia MP

Emil Lazarian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 6 2020
 
 
Azerbaijan flag is raised on Armenian church, says Armenia MP
19:28, 06.12.2020
Naira Zohrabyan, an MP of the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party, posted on Facebook a photo of the Vankasar Church in Aghdam District of Karabakh (Artsakh).
 
"The flag of Azerbaijan was raised on the White Cross Church in Vankasar. Traitors and those who justify betrayal be cursed thrice," Zohrabyan wrote as attachment to this photo.
 
On November 9, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement on a complete cessation of hostilities— which Azerbaijan had launched on September 27—in and around Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Accordingly, Russian peacekeepers are deployed in the region to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities. But this statement also stipulates the handover of part of Artsakh lands to Azerbaijan.
 
 
 
 
 

​Azerbaijan appoints preacher at Armenian Dadivank monastery in Karabakh

Mary Lazarian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 6 2020
 
 
 
Azerbaijan appoints preacher at Armenian Dadivank monastery in Karabakh
17:11, 06.12.2020
Azerbaijan has appointed Rafik Danakari, an Udi, as a preacher at the Armenian Dadivank monastery in Karvachar Region of Karabakh, according to Azerbaijani media.
 
Danakari stated that there are more than 300 "Albanian" churches in Karabakh, and he is going to visit them.
 
Earlier, Azerbaijanis and Udis visited Dadivank and prayed there.
 
On November 9, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement on a complete cessation of hostilities— which Azerbaijan had launched on September 27—in and around Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Accordingly, Russian peacekeepers are deployed in the region to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities. But this statement also stipulates the handover of part of Artsakh lands to Azerbaijan.

Armenia works on anti-crisis economic program

Garnik Tadevosian

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 13:59, 4 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan received today US Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy, the deputy PM’s Office told Armenpress.

During the meeting Deputy PM Avinyan said the government of Armenia is inclined to further push forward the reforms program which launched in past years, as well as is taking actions on the direction of an anti-crisis economic program. The sides discussed issues relating to the investment, business climate and digitization.

The US Ambassador said the Armenian-American partnership will provide greater opportunities of mutual welfare on resisting the common challenges and pushing forward Armenia’s reforms.

The deputy PM in turn noted that the authorities of Armenia and Artsakh are making huge efforts to solve the current humanitarian situation cased by the recent Azerbaijani aggression and highlighted in this context the support of the international partners, including the US.

The US side reported on the ongoing activities of the humanitarian support provided by the United States.

While discussing issues relating to the exchange of the Armenian prisoners of war, Avinyan said “all for all” principle should be applied. He added that the Armenian side does everything to accelerate the process as quicker as possible. The US Ambassador noted that she is ready to hold a constructive dialogue with the deputy PM of Armenia on how the US can assist in these efforts.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Azerbaijan delays exchange of bodies, Artsakh authorities say

Jhanna Virabian

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 14:05, 4 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan is delaying the process of exchanging the bodies of the victims of the war, the State Service of Emergency Situations of Artsakh told ARMENPRESS.

So far, search operations have retrieved the bodies of 693 killed Armenian servicemen, according to the spokesperson of the State Service of Emergency Situations Hunan Tadevosyan.

“The police and Defense Army detachments have already joined us. It is difficult to negotiate with the Azerbaijani side, the exchange process is being delayed. Generally the Azerbaijani side is very much obstructing this work, they don’t give agreement or when they do, they abandon their agreement the next day for unclear reasons,” Tadevosyan said.

Tadevosyan said they haven’t yet searched the regions of Zangelan, Fizuli, Jabrayil and south from Hadrut as the ICRC is still negotiating with Azerbaijan.

In terms of exchange of prisoners of war and captives, Tadevosyan says the negotiations are underway on the highest level, with the Russian high-ranking military officers involved in the process, but there are still no results.

Meanwhile, the ICRC says it is participating in the process of retrieving and returning the bodies since November 13.

“We help the sides so that they are able to organize that process in more secure conditions. We participate in negotiations almost on a daily basis, every day when these processes take place we participate as a mediator. All our negotiations with the sides on such matters are confidential and we can’t tell you what we are negotiating about,” said Eteri Musayelyan, a spokesperson for the ICRC mission in Nagorno Karabakh.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Opposition leader Gagik Tsarukyan again summoned by NSS investigators for questioning

Emil Lazarian

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 14:41, 4 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. The Prosperous Armenia Party leader, Member of Parliament Gagik Tsarukyan has been summoned by investigators at the National Security Service for questioning at 14:30, December 5, the opposition leader’s laywer Emil Khachatryan said in a statement, posting the writ.

“You are summoned as a defendant for additional questioning under a criminal case filed at the NSS Department of Investigations,” reads the writ.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenia MFA welcomes French National Assembly’s adoption of resolution on need for NK recognition

George Mamian

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 14:43, 4 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s foreign ministry welcomes the adoption of the resolution by the French National Assembly on the need for the recognition of Nagorno Karabakh, the ministry said in a statement.

“We welcome the resolution adopted by the overwhelming majority of the National Assembly of France on the need for the recognition of Nagorno Karabakh, which followed the similar resolution adopted by the Senate. This joint position of both the lower and upper Houses of the French Parliament symbolizes the resolute voice of France and the French people against the aggression and the policy of ethnic cleansing and genocidal aspirations Azerbaijan has pursued towards the people of Artsakh with the support of Turkey and foreign terrorist fighters.

It’s important that the necessity to ensure the security of the peaceful population of Artsakh, the facts of undermining the peace process by Azerbaijan through military means and the deployment of terrorist groups and mercenaries in Nagorno Karabakh with the support of Turkey are enshrined in the resolution.

We highly assess such steps by the international community in favor of the final and fair resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the recognition of Artsakh based on the right to self-determination, which has become one of the main imperatives for ensuring the security of the Armenians of Artsakh”, the statement says.

Tens of thousands rally in Armenia demanding the nation’s prime minister resignation

Karapet Navasardian
Fox 11 Los Angeles
Dec 5 2020
By AVET DEMOURIAN

YEREVAN, Armenia – Tens of thousands of opposition supporters marched across the Armenian capital Saturday to push for the resignation of the ex-Soviet nation's prime minister over his handling of the conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.  

In six weeks of fierce fighting that ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal on Nov. 10, the Azerbaijani army reclaimed lands that Armenian forces have held for more than a quarter-century.   Armenia's opposition parties warned Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan there would be civil disobedience across the country if he does not resign by noon on Tuesday.

RELATED: Click here for more coverage of the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Pashinyan has refused to step down, defending the peace agreement as a painful but necessary move that prevented Azerbaijan from overrunning the entire Nagorno-Karabakh region.  

More than 20,000 protesters rallied in Yerevan on Saturday, chanting "Nikol ,you traitor!" and "Nikol, go away!" and then marched to the prime minister's official residence.  

"The seat of the prime minister of Armenia is currently being occupied by a political corpse," Artur Vanetsyan, the leader of the opposition party Homeland and the former head of the National Security Service, said at the protest rally.  

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Several priests of the Armenian Apostolic Church joined the protest, denouncing Pashinyan for allowing Azerbaijan to take over some holy sites.  

Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994. That conflict left not only Nagorno-Karabakh itself but large chunks of surrounding lands in Armenian hands.  

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In 44 days of fighting that began on Sept. 27, Azerbaijan troops routed the Armenian forces and wedged deep into Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing Armenia to accept the Nov. 10 peace deal that saw the return to Azerbaijan of a significant part of the separatist region. It also obliged Armenia to hand over all of the areas it held outside Nagorno-Karabakh.  

Azerbaijan completed reclaiming those territories on Tuesday when it took over the Lachin region located between the Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.  

Armenian opposition leaders hold Pashinyan responsible for failing to negotiate an earlier end to the hostilities at terms that could have been more beneficial for Armenia. They have emphasized, however, that the opposition wasn't pushing for the annulment of the peace deal.  

Veteran politician Vazgen Manukyan, whom 17 opposition parties have nominated as their candidate for prime minister, said at Saturday's rally that his transition government would seek to renegotiate some vague aspects of the Nov. 10 peace deal.   Manukyan, 71, served as prime minister in 1990-91, when Armenia was part of the Soviet Union and later served as defense minister during the separatist war.  

Armenia's Health Ministry said Wednesday that at least 2,718 Armenian servicemen were killed in the latest fighting. At least 55 Armenian civilians also were killed.  

Azerbaijan said this week that 2,783 troops of its were killed and more than 100 were still missing.

The government said 94 of its civilians also were killed and more than 400 were wounded.  

Azerbaijan celebrated the end of fighting as a national triumph, and President Ilham Aliyev established a new Nov. 8 national holiday called Victory Day to commemorate the event.  

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said it will conduct a military parade next Thursday involving  3,000 troops and 150 military vehicles. It said the show will also feature trophy weapons seized from the Armenian forces.  

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to visit Azerbaijan that day. Turkey has strongly backed its ally and used the hostilities to expand its clout in the region.

Earlier this week, Russian and Turkish military officials signed documents to set up a joint monitoring center to ensure the fulfillment of the peace deal.  

Russia deployed nearly 2,000 peacekeepers for at least five years to monitor the peace deal and to facilitate the return of refugees. The Russian troops will also ensure safe transit between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia across the Lachin region. 

Associated Press writers Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Aida Sultanova in London contributed to this report.

Commander of Russian peacekeeping contingent visits Armenian PoWs in Azerbaijan

Emil Lazarian
Public Radio of Armenia
Dec 5 2020

Artsakh’s President Arayik Harutyunyan held another meeting with a group of relatives of the missing in action, servicemen and civilians held in Azerbaijani captivity. Attending the meeting was Rustam Muradov, commander of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to General Muradov, who personally visited Azerbaijan, met with some of our prisoners of war on the spot, provided us with their names and surnames,” President Harutyunyan said.

he noted that Azerbaijan has so far confirmed the names of fewer detainees than our indisputable evidence shows.

“According to the agreement reached, we will continue the activities to find all the captives and the bodies of the victims and return them as soon as possible,” the President stated.