Month: May 2021

Russia committed to ensuring Armenia’s security: FM

Hambik Zargarian
Daiji World, India
May 7 2021
  •   Fri, 12:22:04 PM

Yerevan, May 7 (IANS): Visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said here that Moscow is committed to ensuring the security of its ally Armenia.

Lavrov made the remarks during the meeting with Armenian caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan on Thursday, reports Xinhua news agency.

"We are committed to the ensuring the security of our ally, the Republic of Armenia. This has been confirmed in your talks with President (Vladimir) Putin, as well as during the intensive and regular interactions between our Ministries," Lavrov told Pashinyan.

Lavrov also stated that Russia will continue to make efforts for the solution of all humanitarian issues concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, including the return of all the detainees, together with the other co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.

For his part, Pashinyan assured the Russian Minister that Armenia is committed to implementing the agreements on the cease-fire of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that broke out in September 2020.

He reiterated that the peace process should be resumed to seek a final peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Prior to the meeting, Lavrov met his Armenian counterpart Ara Ayvazyan and participated in a joint press conference in Yerevan.

The two sides also signed an inter-governmental memorandum on ensuring biological security.

Lavrov arrived in Armenia on Tuesday for a two-day visit.

Facebook removes dozens of Azerbaijani accounts and pages

David Nargizian 
Public Radio of Armenia
May 7 2021







Facebook has removed 124 accounts, 15 Pages, six Groups and 30
Instagram accounts from Azerbaijan that targeted primarily Azerbaijan
and to a much lesser extent Armenia.

“We found this network as a result of our internal investigation
following routine enforcement against two third-party Android
applications — Postegro and Nunu, which misled people into giving away
their Instagram credentials,” Facefook said.

“It appears that this activity was separate and unrelated to the same
actors’ coordinated inauthentic behavior. Our CIB investigation found
links to individuals associated with the Defense Ministry of
Azerbaijan,” it added.

France calls on Azerbaijan to release all Armenian detainees

Paul Hambardsumian
Public Radio of Armenia
May 7 2021

.

“We call for the expeditious release of all Armenian detainees still being held,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a Facebook post.

It added that Azerbaijan’s release of three Armenian detainees “is a step in the right direction.”

#NagornoKarabakh

We call for the expeditious release of all Armenian detainees still being held. Azerbaijan’s release of three Armenian detainees yesterday is a step in the right direction.

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group https://t.co/luJHqiP6Qd

— France Diplomacy (@francediplo_EN) May 6, 2021

Three Armenian prisoners of war returned from Azerbaijani captivity on Tuesday. Over 200 Armenian POWs are still held in Baku.

https://en.armradio.am/2021/05/07/france-calls-on-azerbaijan-to-release-all-armenian-detainees/

OSCE Chair calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to resume political process as soon as possible

Karapet Navasardian
Public Radio of Armenia
May 7 2021

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde has welcomed the release of three Armenians from Azerbaijani captivity

She called on the sides to urgently complete the exchange of detainees and all remains, as obligated by international humanitarian law.

“Fully support Minsk Group Co-chairs and urge sides to resume political process through them as soon as possible,” Ann Linde said.

Welcome release of Armenian detainees by Azerbaijan . Call on sides to urgently complete exchange of detainees and all remains, as obligated by IHL. Fully support Minsk Group Co-chairs and urge sides to resume political process through them as soon as possible. #OSCE2021SWE
— Ann Linde (@AnnLinde)

https://en.armradio.am/2021/05/07/osce-chair-calls-on-armenia-azerbaijan-to-resume-political-process-as-soon-as-possible/

President Sarkissian receives a group of WWII veterans

Babken Chilingarian 
Public Radio of Armenia
May 7 2021








President Armen Sarkissian hosted today veterans of the Great
Patriotic War Rozalia Abgaryan, Shoghik Sarafyan, Papin Marukhyan and
Khachik Hovakimyan.

President Sarkissian congratulated them on the 76th anniversary of the
victory over fascism.

Freedom and victory are never given as a gift, they are achieved
through your will and efforts, at the cost of your health,” said the
President.

In a warm atmosphere, President Sarkissian talked to the veterans.
They shared their memories of the war, their military path, the
feelings of Victory Day, May 9, and conveyed their wishes of peace to
the entire Armenian people.

The President wished the guests and all the veterans good health,
noting that their life stories are a military-patriotic lesson for
generations.

Canada calls for release of all Armenian captives

Ani Basmajian
Public Radio of Armenia
May 7 2021
– Public Radio of Armenia

Canada welcomes Azerbaijan’s release of Armenian detainees, Globsl Affairs Canada said in a Twitter post.

It called it a key step in a comprehensive solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

“Canada continues to call for the release of all detainees,” Globsl Affairs Canada said.

Three Armenian prisoners of war returned from Azerbaijani captivity on Tuesday. Over 200 Armenian POWs are still held in Baku.

Armenia’s third president declines first president’s proposal to participate in elections with a bloc

Emil Lazarian
Aysor,  Armenia
May 7 2021

Following the sharp refusal of Robert Kocharyan to participate in elections jointly, Armenia’s first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan met on May 1 with Armenia’s third president Serzh Sargsyan offering him to make ANC-RPA bloc and participate in the elections together and prepared relevant statement of the two ex-presidents.

“Indeed, this format would not have the same efficiency as the trilateral one. But the second proposal was rejected too by Serzh Sargsyan,” Levon Ter-Petrosyan said in a statement today.

He stressed that by revealing the statements and the intentions he wanted to exert pressure on the second and third presidents considering the creation of bloc not excluded yet.

“Judging from the response to my first publication I consider that I have partially reached my goal. Numerous political figures, analysts, journalists, intellectuals who never supported me welcomed the initiative,” Ter-Petrosyan said.

“No matter what they say the only way to prevent the danger of reproduction of criminal and nature-destructive Pashinyan regime and to avoid the new disasters would have been the creation of bloc of the three presidents. Otherwise, we are under threat of fierce elections with the full usage of administrative, financial and criminal resources the outcome of which will be more disastrous for Armenia and Artsakh than the humiliating defeat in the last war,” the first president stated.

Armenia’s third president confirms information about meeting Levon Ter-Petrosyan and rejecting proposal

Eduard Nalbandian
Aysor,  Armenia
May 7 2021

Armenia’s third president Serzh Sargsyan confirmed that he met on May 1 with Armenia’s first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan and that he has rejected the proposal to participate in the elections with a bloc.

“In response to Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s offer voiced during the meeting, Serzh Sargsyan stressed that the bilateral bloc cannot be effective, reminding his position voiced during the previous meeting, according to which the bloc of ex-presidents of Armenia may be effective only if all the parties have principle consent in the issue. As to the text of the statement published by Levon Ter-Petrosyan, President Sargsyan sees it for the first time,” the office of the third president said in a statement.

Rep. Chris Smith calls for $50,000,000 in direct U.S. humanitarian aid to Artsakh

Emil Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia
May 7 2021

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) – the most senior member on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee – has called on House appropriators to allocate at least $50 million for food security, housing, medical aid, infrastructure, and other pressing needs in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) – citing the vast death and destruction caused by Azerbaijan’s Turkey-backed attack last year, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

In a letter addressed to the leaders of the House Appropriations subcommittee that writes the foreign aid bill, Rep. Smith noted that, “In September 2020, Azeri forces, supported by Turkey, embarked on a devastating war of conquest in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region that caused thousands of casualties, rendered thousands more homeless, and destroyed vital infrastructure,” underscoring the need for “not less than $50 million shall be made available for humanitarian assistance in Artsakh to support food security, housing, medical assistance, and vital infrastructure.”

Congressman Smith also forcefully condemned “credible reports that the Republic of Turkey funded mercenaries recruited from the Syrian National Army to fight with the Azeri army that invaded Artsakh,” calling on his Congressional colleagues to appropriate “not less than $500,000 shall be made available to the Secretary of State for a report that the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate Congressional Committees, on the role of Turkey in the recent attack on Artsakh.”

In his letter, Rep. Smith called for the strengthening of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support, a statutory restriction on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan, and for suspending all “U.S. military aid, including under Section 333 Building Partner Capacity Program, to Azerbaijan until its government ceases its attacks against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, and agrees to an equitable resolution of the conflict.”

“Six months after the end of Azerbaijan’s attack – our U.S. government – under both Presidents Trump and Biden – has failed to provide meaningful assistance to meet desperate humanitarian needs in Artsakh,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We welcome Congressman Smith’s principled call for $50 million in direct aid to Artsakh and thank all the voices in Congress – House and Senate, Democratic and Republican – who are pressing aggressively for a robust U.S. assistance package for the Armenian population of Artsakh.”