Month: May 2021

Acting PM Pashinyan has plan to liquidate Armenian statehood, says opposition party leader

Mary Lazarian
News.am, Armenia
15:23, 22.05.2021

YEREVAN. – Under the names of “delimitation” and “demarcation,” acting PM Nikol Pashinyan wants to dispossess Armenia of Armenians through genocide. Opposition Yerkir Tsirani party leader Zaruhi Postanjyan, who is a lawyer by profession, stated about this to a press conference on Saturday.

"It is unequivocal that the November 9 statement was aimed at dispossessing Armenians of the Armenian soil. As this process is not fully implemented, additional documents—which he [Pashinyan] must sign—are also needed for the full implementation of this process.

We [today’s Armenia] are not the legal successor of Soviet Armenia. We have had two Armenian statehoods until November 9—some part recognized, some part, not. Even if Armenia was not recognizing the Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] Republic, we were a united federal statehood. Nikol Pashinyan has a plan to liquidate not only our Armenian statehood, but, also, has started to implement the program of mixed population—population with Turks [i.e., Azerbaijanis]—in our territory, in the Armenian statehood," she said.

According to Postanjyan, after dispossessing the main part of Artsakh of the Armenians, now Pashinyan has moved on to dispossessing Armenia proper of the Armenians.

She noted that at the beginning of the 20th century, today’s Azerbaijanis were called "Caucasian Turks." "They got the name 'Azerbaijani' in the late 1930s," she added.

As per Zaruhi Postanjyan, Nikol Pashinyan was specially put in the Armenian halls of power so that he could implement the plan of dispossessing Armenia of Armenians.

According to Postanjyan, however, Armenians have no right to lay down their weapons, and they must be ready to show resistance.

Paul Stronski: Azerbaijan can become very difficult partner for US

Babken Chilingarian
News.am, Armenia
16:51, 22.05.2021

US policy in the South Caucasus has not changed considerably since President Joe Biden came to power. Paul Stronski, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, stated this at Saturday’s First Armenian-American Political Science Forum.

According to Stronski, the South Caucasus is a very distant region with which the US does not have as active trade relations as with other regions, and therefore these relations are maintained in connection with the problems related to the collapse of the USSR since the 1990s.

But it should be borne in mind that the geopolitical environment is changing rapidly, and the Biden administration will respond to events, war, and the need to stabilize the region, the analyst added.

Stronski noted that he believes that the US should continue to be engaged in the issues of the South Caucasus.

Speaking about the region, Paul Stronski noted that snap parliamentary elections are approaching in Armenia, and the US hopes that the positive changes in Armenia in terms of elections will continue.

As per the analyst, however, Azerbaijan can become a difficult partner for the US.

Armenian ombudsman carries out fact-finding mission in Gegharkunik

Ophelia Vardapetian
Panorama, Armenia

The team of Armenia’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Arman Tatoyan carried out fact-finding mission on May 15 in the village of Verin Shorzha in Vardenis community of Armenia’s Gegharkunik Province and the adjacent pastures, as well as in Kut village of Geghamasar community in relation to gross violations of border residents’ rights because of illegal presence of Azerbaijani military in the sovereign territory of Armenia from May 12.

“Evidence acquired by fact-finding activities of the human rights defender on illegal acts of Azerbaijani military confirms the absolute necessity for the ombudsman’s proposal on security zone to guarantee rights of Armenia’s border residents,” the ombudsman’s office said.

“The results of the visit will be summarized, and steps will be taken to protect the rights of the border residents of Armenia,” it added.

Dolma Festival to be held in Zvartnots Museum-Reserve

Emil Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia

The 10th edition of the Pan-Armenian Festival of Dolma will be held in the territory of Zvartnots Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve on Sunday, May 22.

The event is organized by the Service for the Protection of Historical Environment and Cultural Museum-Reservations SNCO in cooperation with the Development and Preservation of Armenian Culinary Traditions NGO.

The SNCO reports that skilled cooks representing different organizations are set to take part in the festival. A competition will be held in three categories: best taste, best design and best idea, and the grand prize will be given to the absolute winner.

The festival will be accompanied by Armenian songs and dances.  

Azeri troops advanced 1,5 km into Armenian territory, threatened Armenian soldiers – Prosecutor’s Office

Janet Ekmekjian
Panorama, Armenia

A criminal case has been opened over a brawl between the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops near the village of Khoznavar in Syunik Province on Thursday, the law enforcement authorities said.

In a statement on Friday, the Prosecutor General's Office said on May 20, at around 10am, a group of Azerbaijani servicemen illegally crossed the state border of Armenia, advancing some 1,5 kilometers towards Khoznavar village in Tegh community.

They positioned themselves in the area and threatened to use force against the Armenian servicemen approaching them and to open fire at them, saying the territory allegedly belonged to the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Eventually, the Armenian military managed to push the Azeri soldiers back to their initial positions.

However, later on Thursday, at around 9:10pm, a group of Azerbaijani soldiers again crossed the state border of Armenia in the same area without proper permission and engaged in a brawl with Armenian troops on duty. As a result, 11 Armenian servicemen suffered injuries, however the Azeri troops were again forced to return to their positions.

The criminal case has been launched under Article 329 (illegal state border crossing), Article 300.2 and Article 112 of Armenia's Criminal Code, the Prosecutor’s Office said.

Sports: Seven Armenian athletes to compete in Junior World Weightlifting Championships

Emil Karabekian
Panorama, Armenia

The 2021 IWF Junior World Weightlifting Championships will kick off in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on May 23, with seven Armenian athletes set to take part in it, the Armenian National Olympic Committee reported on Friday.

Armenian weightlifters Gor Sahakyan (67 kg), Karen Margaryan (81 kg), Suren Grigoryan (81 kg), Garik Karapetyan (96 kg), Petros Petrosyan (102 kg), Milena Khachatryan (71 kg) and Liana Gyurjyan (81 kg) left for Tashkent early on Friday to compete in the championships.

They were accompanied by coaches Melik Ghukasyan, Hakob Filosyan and Taron Tovmasyan.

The head coach of the Armenian national weightlifting team, international referee Pashik Alaverdyan will be part of the Referees Committee. 

Political analyst: I guess Armenian Foreign Ministry will also be called ‘Azerbaijani agent’ soon

Janet Ekmekjian
Panorama, Armenia
See also Foreign Ministry spox: Armenia rejects fake agenda of so-called ‘disputed territories’

Political analyst Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan has reacted to the latest remarks of Armenian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anna Naghdalyan.

In a public post on Facebook on Friday, he called the response of the Foreign Ministry “a slap in the face for the traitor capitulator.”

"… The processes of border delimitation and demarcation between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan should be part of the comprehensive peaceful settlement of the conflict, within the framework of which issues of de-occupation of the territories of the Republic of Artsakh and determination of the final legal status of Artsakh under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship should be addressed first,” he quoted the spokeswoman as saying.

“It was rather impressive. They can start considering ordering #antinikol T-shirts. I guess the ministry will also be called an “Azerbaijani agent” soon,” the analyst said.

Analyst: If "territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is recognized", Armenia’s de facto leader will become double criminal

Mary Lazarian
News.am, Armenia
Analyst: If "territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is recognized", Armenia's de facto leader will become double criminal
18:44, 21.05.2021

On July 8, 1992, the legislature of the Republic of Armenia adopted a decision, expressing the commitment to consistently support protection of the rights of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and its population and deem any international or domestic document indicating the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as a part of Azerbaijan to be unacceptable for the Republic of Armenia. This is what Armenian political scientist Edgar Elbakyan wrote on his Facebook page, calling the attention of mass media outlets. Elbakyan added the following:

“By signing and freely implementing the written trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, by which the de facto occupation by Azerbaijan of Artsakh in general and a part of the territories of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, the de facto leader of the Republic of Armenia has violated a law.

If “the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is recognized” on the basis of this new capitulation and unlawful document, not only the de facto leader of the state, but also all deputies who vote IN FAVOR will become double criminals.”


Potential production of Sputnik V in Armenia under discussion

Markos Nalchajian

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 15:53,

YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. The possibility of a potential production of the Russian vaccine against the coronavirus in Armenia and Kyrgyzstan is under discussion, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his speech at the EEU summit.

“As you know we succeeded in rather quickly creating our own very effective and safe vaccines against the coronavirus, and soon the fourth vaccine will be put into circulation, the Sputnik Light,” he said, adding that the inoculation is actively proceeding in Russia.

“The production of Sputnik V is successfully localized, our colleagues here already said, in both Kazakhstan and in Belarus. Now the possibility of starting these productions in Armenia and Kyrgysztan is under discussion,” the Russian president said. He emphasized that Russia is the only country which is handing over the technologies of the vaccines.

Putin said that given the present-day circumstances Russia finds it important to focus on cooperation in pharmaceutical safety. He said that Russian-made medications against the coronavirus have already been produced and they are highly effective.

He said that EEU experts must prepare by yearend an action plan on ensuring EEU countries with essential medications not only for treating the coronavirus but other dangerous diseases.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 21-05-21

Emil Lazarian

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 17:24,

YEREVAN, 21 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 21 May, USD exchange rate down by 0.20 drams to 520.54 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.89 drams to 636.46 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.02 drams to 7.09 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 4.67 drams to 739.90 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 182.01 drams to 31434.76 drams. Silver price up by 0.91 drams to 464.25 drams. Platinum price up by 25.77 drams to 20066.16 drams.