Month: May 2021

 23:21, 27 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. The USA is concerned over the recent developments along the Armenian-Azerbaijani international border, including the adetentionof several Armenian servicemen by the Azerbaijani forces, ARMENPRESS reports, reads the statement issued by the U.S. Department of State.

'' We call on both sides to urgently and peacefully resolve this incident. We also continue to call on Azerbaijan to release immediately all prisoners of war and other detainees, and we remind Azerbaijan of its obligations under international humanitarian law to treat all detainees humanely.

The United States considers any movements along the non-demarcated areas of the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan to be provocative and unnecessary.  We reject the use of force to demarcate the border and call on both sides to return to their previous positions and to cease military fortification of the non-demarcated border and the emplacement of landmines. Specifically, we call on Azerbaijan to relocate its forces to the positions they held on May 11.  We also call on Armenia to relocate its forces to the positions they held on May 11, and welcome statements of intent to this effect. These actions will de-escalate tensions and create space for a peaceful negotiation process to demarcate the border on an urgent basis.  The United States is prepared to assist these efforts.

The United States urges the sides to return as soon as possible to substantive negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to achieve a long-term political settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict'', reads the statement.

 08:17,

YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS. Armenia marks the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the First Republic of Armenia in 1918.

Celebrations are not planned for this year's Republic Day, but the leadership of the country will visit the Sardarapat Memorial to honor the memory of the fallen heroes who gave their lives for independence and freedom.

On May 28, 1918 the Armenian people restored their independence – which was lost over 9 centuries earlier – with the triumphant victories in the fierce battles of Karakilisa, Bash Abaran and Sardarapat.

The Battle of Sardarapat shaped the destiny of Armenia. The whole nation, who survived the genocide, joined forces and entire families, including women, children and elderly, were fighting alongside soldiers.

With this victory, Armenian troops were able to stop the Turkish invasion to Transcaucasia and save Armenia from total destruction.

The First Republic of Armenia lasted only two years: in December 1920 the Red Army entered Yerevan and the country was sovietized.

 08:32,

YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS. French Ambassador to Armenia Jonathan Lacôte congratulated Armenia and its people on the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the First Republic of Armenia.

“On this May 28, on the 103rd anniversary of the First Republic, I wish Armenia to be able to live its independence in peace and prosperity, I wish Armenia, which measures its history by millennia, to have confidence towards its future, I wish Armenia to never doubt its beauty, strengths and talents, I wish Armenia to be proud to give this country to their children.

And I wish France to always love Armenia, like Armenia loves us”, the French Ambassador said on social media.

Armenia marks the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the First Republic of Armenia in 1918.

On May 28, 1918 the Armenian people restored their independence – which was lost over 9 centuries earlier – with the triumphant victories in the fierce battles of Karakilisa, Bash Abaran and Sardarapat.

The Battle of Sardarapat shaped the destiny of Armenia. The whole nation, who survived the genocide, joined forces and entire families, including women, children and elderly, were fighting alongside soldiers.

With this victory, Armenian troops were able to stop the Turkish invasion to Transcaucasia and save Armenia from total destruction.

The First Republic of Armenia lasted only two years: in December 1920 the Red Army entered Yerevan and the country was sovietized.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 09:54,

YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS. OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde has expressed her concerns over the current situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

“Concerned about repeated reports of incidents on Armenia/Azerbaijan border. All outstanding issues must be resolved peacefully through negotiation. OSCE stands ready to assist and implement confidence-building measures to create an atmosphere conducive to dialogue”, she said on Twitter.

 

Editing by Aneta Harutyunyan

 09:57,

YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian, together with caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Speaker of Parliament Ararat Mirzoyan, visited the Sardarapat Memorial Friday morning to commemorate Republic Day. They laid flowers at the memorial in memory of those who sacrificed their lives for freedom and independence in 1918.

Armenia marks the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the First Republic of Armenia in 1918.

On May 28, 1918 the Armenian people restored their independence – which was lost over 9 centuries earlier – with the triumphant victories in the fierce battles of Karakilisa, Bash Abaran and Sardarapat.

The Battle of Sardarapat shaped the destiny of Armenia. The whole nation, who survived the genocide, joined forces and entire families, including women, children and elderly, were fighting alongside soldiers.

With this victory, Armenian troops were able to stop the Turkish invasion to Transcaucasia and save Armenia from total destruction.

The First Republic of Armenia lasted only two years: in December 1920 the Red Army entered Yerevan and the country was sovietized.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 10:04,

YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh has issued a statement on the occasion of the anniversary of the Sardarapat heroic battle.

Armenpress presents the statement:

“May the 28th is the day of proclamation of the first Republic of Armenia and the victory of our people in the battle of Sardarapat. The Armenian people managed to restore its independent statehood, which was lost centuries ago.

The heroic battle of Sardarapat is one of the most glorious and memorable pages in the Armenian history.

On this day 103 years ago, the Armenian people managed to unite and defeat the regular Turkish army, which significantly exceeded our forces in number and armaments and invaded with the purpose of completely annihilating the Armenians. Sardarapat was not only a military-political, but also a moral victory. It became a symbol of the unbreakable will, unshakable faith and inexhaustible patriotism of our people, which had been subjected to Genocide for years, lost most of the homeland, and was on the verge of extermination.

The Armenians of Artsakh also played a great role in the battles of Sardarapat, Bash Aparan and Karakilisa, where under the command of prominent military figures of Artsakh participated heroically in forging the victories. In the most difficult military-political situation for the homeland, the representatives of Artsakh, as part of the top political leadership of the First Republic of Armenia, actively participated in the state-building processes too.

For over a century, the victory of Sardarapat has inspired all Armenians, and today, it is of special importance and significance for our people.

Glory to our heroes, to the Armenian statehood, and to our homeland”.

 10:42,

YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS. As a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the United States remains committed to helping the sides negotiate a long-term political settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and address the humanitarian impact of the fighting, including the release of all detainees, accounting for those missing, and the full and expeditious exchange of remains, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken  on May 28, reports Armenpress.

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1053715.html?fbclid=IwAR11lNKNmOFEoIPY7uDv2IJB-eVT0MTCbvJe1dPEFgQqKrGsAGBLr8wppS4

 11:10,

YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS. 104 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Armenia in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 222,513, the ministry of healthcare reports.

301 patients have recovered in one day. The total number of recoveries has reached 212,566.

The death toll has risen to 4423 (7 death cases have been registered in the past one day).

2835 COVID-19 tests were conducted on May 27.

The number of active cases is 4443.

The number of people who had coronavirus but died from other disease has reached 1081 (2 new such cases).

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 11:13,

YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has addressed a message on the occasion of the Republic Day, the PM’s office told Armenpress.

The message reads:

“Dear compatriots,

I congratulate us all on Republic Day.

This holiday marks our nation’s unwavering will power to fight for independence and freedom. It embodies our people’s age-old desire to have an independent statehood.

The Armenian people faced a mortal danger in those days of 1918. Catastrophe seemed inevitable. We seemed on the verge of being deprived of our legitimate right to building sovereign statehood on our native land and living in our homeland. In the meantime, inspired by Aram Manukyan’s fighting spirit and immense will power, the people’s overwhelming strength enabled us to check the enemy’s advance, reinstate once and for all our inalienable right to sovereign statehood in the heroic battles of Sardarapat, Bash-Aparan and Gharakilisa.

Dear compatriots,

The heroes of Sardarapat, Bash-Aparan and Gharakilisa – Aram Manukyan, Tovmas Nazarbekyan, Movses Silikyan, Dro, Nzhdeh, Daniel and Poghos Bek-Pirumyans, Yazidi cavalry unit commander Djahangir Agha, the Armenian Army, militia, and the clergy became the builders of Armenia’s independence. The inhabitants of our border villages continue the noble cause of Aram Manukyan, Tovmas Nazarbekyan, Movses Silikyan, Dro, who are standing firm on their native land.

In difficult times, the Armenian people have always been able to unite, to be one fist, to mobilize all their forces for the sake of defense, sovereignty and statehood.

I am convinced that today we must act with the same spirit, from Yerevan to the border villages, as one family for the safety of our dear Homeland.

With sober and well-balanced decisions, we will be able to stand up for the defense of our state, our sovereignty, independence; we will not let the enemy achieve its goals. Our sovereignty and independence can never be at stake. And as Aram Manukyan said in the days of despair in 1918, “Let us all get down to work and we will have the upper hand!”

Resolving the current situation is a priority today, after which the Armenian people will undoubtedly embark on the path of building the country of our dreams. So let us get to work together!”

 11:38,

YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Ministry of Defense is denying the Azerbaijani military’s accusations that the Armenian forces opened fire in the direction of Nakhijevan.

“That’s yet another delirium of Azerbaijan,” the Armenian Ministry of Defense said, adding that the Azeri side's statement is fake news. "The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia did not open fire in the direction of Nakhijevan. Apparently the reasons of the Azeri serviceman getting wounded should be sought in the problems and quality of the Azeri military’s code of conduct and military courtesy.”

The Azeri defense ministry’s fake news claimed that one of their soldiers was wounded in Nakhijevan.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan