Wednesday,
Tensions Rise At Armenian-Azerbaijani Border Section (UPDATED)
• Susan Badalian
Armenia -- Armenian army officers at a new border post in Syunik province
bordering Azerbaijan, December 11, 2020.
Armenia accused Azerbaijan of resorting to border “provocations” after
Azerbaijani troops reportedly crossed into its southeastern Syunik province
early on Wednesday.
The incident occurred in a mountainous area about 10 kilometers north of the
provincial town of Goris. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and local government
officials said Azerbaijani troops crossed a nearby section of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani border and advanced more than three kilometers towards the
village of Verishen.
Pashinian held an emergency session of his Security Council late in the evening
to discuss what he described as a security crisis.
“These [Azerbaijani] actions are intolerable for Armenia because this is an
attack on Armenia’s sovereign territory,” Pashinian told members of the council
in his opening remarks.
“They are trying to justify their actions with some maps which our first
observations showed are false and fabricated,” he said.
“Armenia cannot put up with the existing situation … Our primary objective is to
solve this problem through negotiations and by diplomatic means. But this is one
of the options,” added Pashinian.
The Verishen mayor, Ararat Ordian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that
Azerbaijani troops advanced to within six kilometers of the village. He said the
Armenian military responded by sending reinforcements to the area.
The Armenian Defense Ministry said more vaguely that early in the morning
Azerbaijani forces “tried to carry out some works at one of the border sections
of Syunik under the pretext of ‘border clarification.’”
“After measures taken by Armenian army units the Azerbaijani forces stopped
those works,” it said in a statement issued early in the afternoon. “Right now
negotiations are being held for resolving the situation.”
The ministry denied rumors about fighting triggered by the Azerbaijani troop
movements. Pashinian likewise stressed that no gunshots were fired at the border
section.
Some officials in Syunik said afterwards that Russian troops stationed in
Armenia are also taking part in those negotiations while building up forces in
the area to get the Azerbaijani side to pull back. The Russian military did not
confirm that.
The Defense Ministry in Moscow reported later in the day that Russian Defense
Minister Sergei Shoigu spoke with his Armenian counterpart Vagharshak
Harutiunian by phone. A short ministry statement said they discussed the
situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone and “other topics of mutual
interest.”
Meanwhile, Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazian had a phone call with Russia’s
Sergei Lavrov. According to his press office, Ayvazian briefed Lavrov on “the
latest incident on Armenia’s state border” and stressed “the inadmissibility of
such provocations by the Azerbaijani side.”
Lavrov met with Azerbaijan’s leaders in Baku earlier this week. He visited
Yerevan last week.
A member of Goris’s municipal council, Narek Ordian, said late in the afternoon
that the border standoff has not yet been resolved. “The negotiations are
continuing,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. “They [Azerbaijani forces] are
still there.”
Syunik borders districts southwest of Nagorno-Karabakh which were retaken by
Azerbaijan during and after last year’s war. Russia deployed soldiers and border
guards there to help the Armenian military defend the region against possible
Azerbaijani attacks.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said last month that Moscow and Yerevan are
holding “quite productive discussions” on a possible deployment of more Russian
troops to Syunik.
Yerevan Officials Prosecuted For Assault
Armenia -- The entrance to the Investigative Committee headquarters in Yerevan.
The deputy head of Yerevan’s central administrative district has been arrested
and charged with beating up one of his subordinates.
Armenia’s Investigative Committee confirmed on Wednesday media reports that that
the official, Armen Azizian, and a dozen other local government employees
assaulted Manvel Margarian, the head of the Kentron district’s urban development
division, in his office on Tuesday.
A statement released by the law-enforcement agency said the violence broke out
as a result of “differences over work-related issues.” It said Azizian and other
men hit Margarian “in various parts of his body.” One of them, Arman Davoyan,
struck the latter in the head with a computer keyboard, added the statement.
The Investigative Committee charged Azizian and Davoyan with abuse of power and
hooliganism respectively. Both men were arrested on Tuesday. It was not clear if
the investigators will ask a court to remand them in pre-trial custody.
Margarian was reportedly taken to hospital after the incident. He told the
“Haykakan Zhamanak” daily that he was attacked by about 15 men led by Azizian
and Davoyan after refusing to resign.
Kentron’s chief executive, Avet Poghosian, is currently on vacation. He has
declined to comment on the extraordinary incident.
Yerevan’s Mayor Hayk Marutian, who appoints all district heads, has also not
reacted to it so far. Marutian is a senior member of Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinian’s Civil Contract party.
Georgian PM Visits Armenia
Armenia - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian (R) and his Georgian
counterpart Irakli Gharibashvili meet in Yerevan, .
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and his visiting Georgian counterpart Irakli
Gharibashvili met in Yerevan on Wednesday for talks that focused on regional
security and Georgian-Armenian commercial ties.
It was the first Georgian-Armenian summit held after last year’s war in
Nagorno-Karabakh.
Gharibashvili, who visited Baku last week, said the war as well as the
coronavirus pandemic left the region facing “significant difficulties.”
“I think that there is no alternative to peace negotiations and dialogue,” he
said after the talks with Pashinian. “Georgia has always stood for cooperation
and peaceful co-existence in the South Caucasus and will stick to this course.”
Pashinian reaffirmed, for his part, Armenia’s support for a resolution of the
Karabakh conflict based on peace proposals made by the U.S., Russian and French
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Speaking at a joint news briefing, Pashinian said he and Gharibashvili agreed to
“put greater emphasis on the development of trade and economic ties” between
their countries.
“In particular, we stressed the importance of more effectively using regional
transport routes and developing the region’s transport potential,” he said.
Gharibashvili also stressed the need to expand bilateral trade and “discuss new
projects.”
An Armenian government statement on the talks said the Armenian and Georgian
governments support the “development of transport links, including railway
infrastructures.”
“The parties expressed an interest in initiating new joint projects and agreed
to work intensively in this direction,” read the statement.
It added that both sides are specifically interested in the creation of a new
“transport corridor” that would connect not only Armenia and Georgia but also
Iran, Bulgaria and Greece.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2021 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
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Month: May 2021
Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly delegates visit Armenian Genocide memorial in Yerevan
13:02,
YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS. The delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the International Organization of La Francophonie visited the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan during their visit to Armenia.
Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie Europe mission chief Jean-Charles Luperto, France MP Sophie Mette, Catalan MP Aurora Madaula, Cameroon MP Joshua Osih, Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie administrative secretary general Emmanuel Maury and advisor for European region Fatmir Leci were accompanied by the lawmakers of the Armenian delegation to the assembly Hovhannes Igityan (head), Arman Yeghoyan, Arusyak Julhakyan and Sona Ghazaryan.
The delegates laid flowers at the Eternal Flame in honor of the victims of the genocide and then toured the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, the parliament's press service said.
Editing by Stepan Kocharyan
Russian FM says OSCE Minsk Group remains demanded
14:41,
YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE Minsk Group still remains demanded firstly in terms of promoting the cooperation on solving humanitarian problems and the measures aimed at creating trust between the parties, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, commenting on the settlement of the situation in Artsakh.
“The key to further settlement of the situation is to fully follow the agreements reached on November 9 last year and on January 11 this year between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. These agreements ensure all the necessary mechanisms contributing to the observance of the ceasefire, as well as aim at unblocking infrastructure which have long not enabled to reveal this geopolitically important region’s very serious transit and economic potential”, the Russian FM said, adding that the trilateral working group led by the deputy prime ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan has a key contribution to the implementation of those agreements.
According to FM Lavrov, the unblocking of infrastructure will allow the South-Caucasian states to join together with their neighbors a common transportation space.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Red Cross says continues visiting Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan
14:55,
YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is visiting the Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan and is helping them to maintain contact with their families, the ICRC Armenia office said in a news release.
“We continue visiting those held captive in relation to the Karabakh conflict, whose captivity has been officially confirmed. We help them maintain contact with their families. This is done through Red Cross’ messages, verbal messages, and lately also through phone calls and pre-recorded videos,” the ICRC said.
In violation of international humanitarian law, as well as the terms of the Karabakh armistice, the Azeri authorities continue refusing to return about 200 Armenian prisoners of war.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
Pashinyan meets with families awaiting investigation results into non-combat deaths in military
15:17,
YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan today met with the families of servicemen who have died in non-combat conditions, Pashinyan’s Office told Armenpress.
The first consulting conclusion made by a working group formed by the PM’s 2020 August 3 decision was presented during the meeting.
“We met several months ago and reached agreements. At that time the war and the developments well known to you took place, but the work has moved on, and we have the first summary. The first case which has been examined relates to the criminal case launched over the death of Tigran Ohanjanyan”, Pashinyan said.
Thereafter, his assistant Anna Vardapetyan briefed the consulting conclusion which has been formed as a result of the investigation conducted by the working group. She informed that the working group has outlined several violations in the consulting conclusion, which mainly relate to investigative actions.
Pashinyan asked Gohar Sargsyan, the legal successor of the victim, how she assesses the results of the examination. In response Mrs. Sargsyan said the death case of her son took place in 2007 and for 14 years she has been voicing her concerns about the causes of the death. She added that she agrees with the consulting conclusion and is ready to continue the cooperation over future steps.
The issue of starting the investigation of the next case was discussed during the meeting. The second case will be that relating to the death of Valerik Muradyan.
During the exchange of views caretaker PM Pashinyan listened to the notifications of the parents of servicemen and answered to their questions.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Deposits grow in Artsakh banks
15:20,
STEPANAKERT, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS. Deposits by companies and individuals in Artsakh’s banks and branches stood at 133 billion 536,4 million drams as of May 1 against the 128 billion 987 million drams of 2020’s May 1 (recording a 3,5% growth against last year, and 4,3% growth against last month, and 10,3% growth against February and March), according to the Artsakh National Statistical Service.
According to the data, the time deposit indicators in commercial banks (branches) grew 6,5% against February, 5,7% against March and 0,1% against April. Demand deposits also grew, with 37,5% growth recorded against last year, 31,2% growth against March of the current year, 34,3% and 24,6% against February and April.
As of May 1, credit investments stood at 121 billion 331,3 million drams against the previous year’s same period of 204 billion 122,7 million drams. The loan overdue indicator in the reporting period stood at 2 billion 284,5 million drams against the 547,6 million drams of 2020’s same period, and the 170,8 million drams of the previous month.
The volume of extended loans comprised 9 billion 686,7 million drams as of May 1, against April’s 12 billion 476,8 million drams and the 413,6 million drams recorded in May 1 of 2020.
The total volume of loans comprised 132 billion 637,2 drams as of May 1 against the 205 billion 83,9 million drams of 2020’s same period.
Editing by Stepan Kocharyan
Armenia’s foreign ministry extends condolences to families of Kazan school shooting victims
15:51,
YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s foreign ministry has extended condolences over a shooting incident in one of the schools of Kazan, which claimed several lives.
“We express our deepest condolences to the families and relatives of the victims of the tragic incident that took place in N175 school in Kazan. We wish speedy recovery to all those injured”, the Armenian MFA said in a statement.
Nine people have died, including eight children and a teacher, in a school shooting in Kazan, in Russia’s Tatarstan Region. At least 32 people were injured. The first signal from a panic button at the school came in at 09:25, and the shooting began at 09:20. At the time, there were 714 children and about 70 employees at the school, including 52 teachers, TASS reported.
Editing by Aneta Harutyunyan
Election commission sets June 7-18 for campaigning period
15:58,
YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS. The electoral campaign ahead of the snap election will start on June 7 and will run through June 18th 24:00, the Central Electoral Commission ruled on May 11.
The formation of polling stations will take place by May 26.
Political parties and alliances running for parliament in the election must submit registration documents to the Central Electoral Commission by 18:00, May 26. Electoral lists should be submitted between May 26 and May 30.
The voters lists will be publicly displayed at electoral precincts on May 31.
The snap election will take place on June 20, 2021.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
Live transmission cameras expected to be installed at polling stations
16:20,
YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS. The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) is working to install video cameras for live transmission in at least 1500 polling stations at the snap election of parliament scheduled for June 20, the CEC Chairman Tigran Mukuchyan said when asked by reporters on the issue.
“Work is underway at this phase. The installation of cameras during elections is done through an organization selected by the government. We are aware that at this phase works are being done,” he said.
Mukuchyan said that during the last election cameras were installed in 1500 out of 2009 polling stations where the overwhelming majority of voters cast their ballots.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
Armenia’s foreign ministry expresses deep concerns over ongoing clashes in Jerusalem
16:28,
YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s foreign ministry has expressed its deepest concerns over the ongoing clashes in Jerusalem.
“We are deeply concerned about the ongoing clashes in Jerusalem. We call on all parties involved to exercise restraint in order to reduce tensions and prevent further civilian casualties”, the MFA said in a statement on social media.
Tensions in East Jerusalem started growing since mid-April. On May 7, clashes between the Israeli border police in Palestinians started near the Temple Mount and in Sheikh Jarrah district, where law enforcement officers perform eviction of several Arab families under the decision of the Israeli court, which accompanied by protest actions of the local population and fierce clashes, TASS reported.
Editing by Aneta Harutyunyan