Month: October 2021

Antonio Guterres welcomes Armenia-Azerbaijan FMs meeting

Emma Jilavian
Sept 28 2021

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday welcomed a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan and expressed the hope that such efforts will lead to a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."The Secretary-General welcomes the statement by the co-chairs of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Minsk Group of September 24, on the joint meeting of the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan that took place under their auspices on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly," Xinhua news agency quoted Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Guterres, as saying in a statement.One year after the hostilities in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, the Secretary-General is encouraged by the resumption of direct engagement at the level of the Foreign Ministers and hopes that such efforts will continue as part of a broader dialogue to resolve outstanding issues and reach a lasting peaceful settlement, said the statement.

Guterres reiterated his full support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and the personal representative of the OSCE chairmanship-in-office to that end.He urged all concerned to focus their attention on advancing peace and cooperation at all levels for the benefit of the people in the region, it said.The UN stands ready to support such efforts through its ongoing humanitarian, recovery, development and peace-building work on the ground, said the statement.The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs consist of representatives from France, Russia and the US.Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at loggerheads over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh since 1988.Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a ceasefire was reached, but there have been sporadic minor clashes.A new round of armed conflict broke out along the contact line on September 27, 2020.

Why the European Union is failing to build peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia

Rose Khoyetsian
The Parliament Magazine, EU
Sept 28 2021
Although steps have been taken to find lasting peace in the South Caucasus region, more can be done by the EU to support its eastern partners, argues Parviz Yarmammad.

What did happen?

Exactly one year ago, the second Nagorno-Karabakh war erupted when Armenian attacks on Azerbaijani villages intensified. In 44 days, Azerbaijani forces rapidly liberated most of the land that was invaded by Armenia in the 90s. These areas comprised the former Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous region and seven adjacent districts (Herbst, 2020). The invasion caused around a million Azerbaijanis to live as internally displaced persons (IDPs) for almost 30 years (Babayev, Schoch, & Spanger, 2020, pp. 279-280).

On the 10th of November, a trilateral ceasefire agreement brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin was signed, which provisioned deployment of Russian peacekeepers within parts of the former Upper-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, an area settled by ethnic Armenians (Aydabirian, Libaridian, & Papazian, 2021, pp. 18-24). In additional to the liberated regions, Armenia agreed to withdraw its military forces from occupied territories while Azerbaijan let Armenia use the road connecting the Republic of Armenia to Karabakh.

The agreement covered the resettlement of Azerbaijani IDPs to liberated territories as well as to areas under peacekeepers’ control. It also required Armenia to open a road through its territories to connect the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan with the rest of Azerbaijan (President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 2020).

However, today, Azerbaijanis have not yet been able to return to their homeland due to Armenian planted mines (Kuzio, 2021), and Armenia still insists on not providing a corridor for Azerbaijan through its territories (Yevgrashina, 2021).

Why the South Caucasus?

Both Armenia and Azerbaijan are partners of the European Union within the Eastern Partnership framework. Additionally, the South Caucasus region is an important region for the Union due to the region’s geopolitics. The region is under the active political and economic influence of Russia, Turkey, Iran, and even sometimes China. It is therefore not politically desirable for the EU to have Eastern Partners come under the influence of the Union’s ideological rivals. Moreover, the South Caucasus has important transport linkages between Asia and Europe. Similarly important, the South Caucasus, particularly Azerbaijan, is crucial for the Union’s drive to diversify energy sources and decrease Russian influence in the EU energy market (Borrell, 2021).

“If the European Union wants to be more active in peacebuilding, the implementation of concrete socio-economic projects with the mutual participation of Azerbaijan and Armenia is vital for peaceful interaction of the two nations”

Prospective Steps by the European Union

From the EU side, in July, High Representative Josep Borrell stated the Union’s readiness to build peace and several EU Foreign Ministers subsequently visited the region (Borrell, 2021). On the other hand, European Council President Charles Michel, in his interactions with the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, expressed the EU’s willingness to contribute to the peace process. Charles Michel always emphasised the need for confidence-building between the sides. Indeed, facilitating the exchange of Armenian detainees with mine maps on June 12 and the visit paid by Michel to Azerbaijan and Armenia were remarkable steps by the EU (Muradov & Rzayev, 2021).

However, before building confidence between conflicting sides, the EU itself needs to gain the trust of both parties. For example, in July, the European Union allocated €2.6bn to Armenia, whereas Azerbaijan got only €140m (BBC News, 2021), (Mejlumyan, 2021). However, Azerbaijan suffered more than Armenia during the war; Azerbaijani cities were bombed, while cities that were invaded were left completely demolished and mined (QC, Becker, & Kern, 2021, pp. 34-44), (BBC News, 2021). Conversely, none of this happened to Armenia. In order to maintain the return of IDPs and the reconstruction of the cities, Azerbaijan needs more financial support from the European Union. The unequal distribution of resources brings the impartiality of the EU into question.

“We, as an Azerbaijani community in Europe, expect the European Union to take active steps for peace and stability in the region”

Furthermore, if the European Union wants to be more active in peacebuilding, the implementation of concrete socio-economic projects with the mutual participation of Azerbaijan and Armenia is vital for peaceful interaction of the two nations. Considering the limitations of the EU’s political engagement, the projects could be implemented within the Eastern Partnership framework. Unfortunately, so far, there have not yet been any such concrete steps.

Moreover, maintaining face-to-face interaction through the European Parliament could be helpful in boosting the peacebuilding process. The European Parliament’s dialogue and mediation were successful in the Georgian crisis (Paul & Maisuradze, 2021). In the Karabakh case, instead of releasing biased one-sided resolutions (European Parliament, 2021), the Parliament is able to push political leaders for more dialogue and concrete action alongside building bridges between Azerbaijani and Armenian parliament members.

We, as an Azerbaijani community in Europe, expect the European Union to take active steps for peace and stability in the region. We hope no war will take place again and the winning side will always be the people of the region.

Bibliography

Aydabirian, R., Libaridian, J., & Papazian, T. (2021). A White Paper: The Karabakh War of 2020 and Armenia’s Future Foreign and Security Policies.

Babayev, A., Schoch, B., & Spanger, H.-J. (2020). The Nagorno Karabakh deadlock: Insights from successful confict. Frankfurt: Springer VS. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-25199-4

BBC News. (2021, July 22). BBC News Azerbaijani. Retrieved from Aİ yardımı Ermənistanı çətin "Qarabağ seçimi" qarşısında qoyur?: https://www.bbc.com/azeri/azerbaijan-57916158

Borrell, J. (2021, July 2). European Union External Action Service. Retrieved from Why we need more EU engagement in the South Caucasus: https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage_en/101243/Why%20we%20need%20more%20EU%20engagement%20in%20the%20South%20Caucasus

EU Neighbours East. (2021, June 3). EU Neighbours East. Retrieved from European Union calls Armenia and Azerbaijan to engage in renewed negotiations: https://www.euneighbours.eu/en/east/stay-informed/news/european-union-calls-armenia-and-azerbaijan-engage-renewed-negotiations

European Parliament. (2021, May 20). Press Releases. Retrieved from Human rights: Chad, Haiti and Armenian prisoners of war in Azerbaijan: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210517IPR04125/human-rights-chad-haiti-and-armenian-prisoners-of-war-in-azerbaijan

Herbst, J. E. (2020, November 10). Atlantic Council. Retrieved from Putin gains and loses from Armenia-Azerbaijan ceasefire deal: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/putin-gains-and-loses-from-armenia-azerbaijan-ceasefire-deal/

Kuzio, T. (2021, April 16). New Eastern Europe. Retrieved from Mines, Karabakh and Armenia’s crisis: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/04/16/mines-karabakh-and-armenias-ccrisis/

Mejlumyan, A. (2021, July 15). Eurasianet. Retrieved from Armenia gets aid boost from EU: https://eurasianet.org/armenia-gets-aid-boost-from-eu

Muradov, M., & Rzayev, A. (2021, June 13). Topchubashov Center. Retrieved from The 12 June Armenian-Azerbaijani deal: larger implications: https://top-center.org/en/tehlil/3150/12-iyun-ermenistan-azerbaycan-mubadilesi-ve-neticeleri

Paul, A., & Maisuradze, I. (2021, April 30). European Policy Center (EPC). Retrieved from Georgia’s road ahead: Time for the EU to show some tough love: https://epc.eu/en/publications/Georgias-road-ahead-Time-for-the-EU-to-show-some-tough-love~3e7c18

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. (2020, November 10). Retrieved from Statement by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and President of the Russian Federation: https://en.president.az/articles/45923

QC, S. K., Becker, D., & Kern, J. (2021). Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Targeting of Civilians in Azerbaijan September-November 2020: An Interim Report. London: 9 Bedford Row.

Yevgrashina, L. (2021, September 23). The Tribune. Retrieved from Rapid breakthrough unlikely in deadlock on Armenia-Azerbaijan transit routes: https://www.thetribune.com/rapid-breakthrough-unlikely-in-deadlock-on-armenia-azerbaijan-transit-routes/

This article reflects the views of the author and not the views of The Parliament Magazine or of the Dods Group

Rapid breakthrough unlikely in deadlock on Armenia-Azerbaijan transit routes

Jirair Kafian
The Tribune
Sept 24 2021

BAKU

By Lada Yevgrashina

Months of discussion on resolving outstanding differences between Armenia and Azerbaijan have produced a deadlock unlikely to be resolved quickly as the first anniversary approaches of the outbreak of the six-week blitz resumption of their conflict in which Baku rapidly recaptured large swathes of territory lost in the 1990s.

Little common ground has been found on the main issues separating the two ex-Soviet states – principally the restoration of blocked transit routes, now the focal point of attempts to move on from the hostilities which left Armenia badly bruised militarily and diplomatically.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – re-elected with a landslide last June despite the crushing military defeat but watchful of nationalists in his own camp — has in the past month made what appeared to be overtures to open new communications links.

But there were caveats.

His rejection of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s proposal to reopen the “Zangezur” link, a rail route between Azerbaijan and its exclave of Nakhchivan – passing through Armenian territory — and on to Turkey made the appeals non-starters at the negotiating table.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Azerbaijan’s strategic and military backer in last year’s lightning war, was perhaps the most forthright in rejecting them.

Erdogan disclosed that Pashinyan had offered to meet him as part of the Armenian prime minister’s proposal to build relations and end more than a century of enmity with the Turkish state. He ruled out any meeting until Pashinyan gave ground on that thorniest of issues – the reopening of Zangezur transit pathway closed since 1993.

“On the one hand, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he opposes opening the Zangezur corridor. On the other hand, he says he wants to meet me,” Erdogan told reporters. “This gives pause for reflection. If you want to meet…you have to take certain steps…Opening the the Zangezur corridor would remove a problem in the relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.”

Pashinyan rejects any notion of reopening the route – and especially any reference to it as a “corridor” that he says implies special international status.

“It is very much in our interest to open up communications as this offers the opportunity to overcome the blockade imposed on us for more than 25 years,” Pashinyan said in a public appeal to visiting Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk. “It is very important for us to secure rail links at long last with Russia to open new opportunities for developing our economy.”

ARMENIAN “NO” TO CORRIDORS

But Pashinyan, looking over his shoulder at nationalists decrying last year’s “defeat” on the battlefield, made clear he ruled out any reopening of Zangezur.

“Armenia is ready to reopen regional communications with Azerbaijan, but cannot offer a corridor to Nakhchivan…through its own territory,” he said last month. “Armenia has never discussed and will not discuss any questions about the logic of corridors. By making declarations about corridors, Azerbaijan is seeing to destroy the process of opening regional communications.”

Russia oversaw the armistice that ended the hostilities in November last year and maintains “peacekeepers” in the region. After his talks last month, Overchuk acknowledged a lack of progress on the issue.

“We don’t have corridors on the working group agenda,” Overchuk told reporters. “The parties aim to unblock transport and economic ties in the region. Unblocking, building and restoring transport communications will create new opportunities for expanding and increasing trade.”

Azerbaijan’s Aliyev, has shown considerable impatience in recent months with Armenia over the blocked transit routes, slow progress in demarcating the border inherited from Soviet times and efforts to determine the location of land mines left by Armenian forces as they retreated in last year’s fighting.

AZERBAIJANI RESTRAINT

But Aliyev was restrained, even conciliatory, in trying to persuade Yerevan to agree to the transit route.

“Regional transport projects play an important role in long-term development, providing stability and reducing the risk of war to zero. All countries in the region come out winners from them,” he said. “Azerbaijan would be linked with Nakhchivan and Turkey. And at the same time Russia could open the rail link to Armenia.”

Aliyev’s foreign minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, drove home the point.

“A new Zangezur transport corridor would link not only Azerbaijan and Turkey but would provide a link between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, subject to a blockade for 30 years,” he said. “And, in addition, it would boost transport and trade links with the region as a whole.”

Last year’s hostilities resulted in Azerbaijan recouping areas held without concessions for three decades by Armenian forces and ethnically cleansed of their Azeri residents.

EU SAID TO FAVOUR CORRIDOR

Aliyev has said that the European Union supports the reopening of the Zangezur link – including during lengthy discussions with Charles Michel, President of the European Council, over the course of two visits to the region in recent months.

The armistice, however shaky, remains in place after Azerbaijan’s recapture of large swathes of territory.

Pashinyan has, in contrast, lobbied for progress in ensuring passage along the Lachin corridor – now controlled by Russian peacekeepers – providing a link between Armenia and the territory known as Nagorno-Karabakh under Soviet rule.

Nagorno-Karabakh was the focus of the original war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the immediate aftermath of the 1991 Soviet collapse – more than 30,000 people were killed.

Populated mainly by ethnic Armenians but part of Soviet Azerbaijan since the 1920s, Armenian forces went far beyond the borders of the territory to seize seven adjacent regions of Azerbaijan. Azeris were ethnically cleansed and towns systematically looted.

It is believed 30,000 Armenians still live in the region, mainly in the region’s administrative centre, Stepanakert. Aliyev has declared the issue closed with the recapture of the territory and has effectively said that Nagorno-Karabakh is a Soviet entity that has ceased to exist.

Sep 24, 2021

With New Economic Regions, Karabakh Set To Become Economic Driver Of Caucasus – OpEd

Edgar Tavakalian
Sept 28 2021
 September 28, 2021

By Orkhan Baghirov*

On July 7, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on the new division of economic regions in Azerbaijan. According to the decree, the number of economic regions increased from 11 to 14. The capital of the country has been allocated to a separate economic region, and the new Karabakh and East Zangazur were created. The Karabakh economic region covers Khankandi city, Aghjabadi, Aghdam, Barda, Fuzuli, Khojali, Khojavand, Susha and Tartar regions. In the document regarding the new Karabakh region, it was noted that it is important to create this region to ensure the restoration and rapid development of the ancient Karabakh region, which has a rich historical and cultural heritage and charming nature.

The other, newly created, Eastern Zangazur region includes the liberated Jabrayil, Kalbajar, Gubadli, Lachin, and Zangilan regions. Districts of this new region are located in the eastern part of the Zangezur plateau, surrounded by the Zangezur mountain range and covering a vast territory from Lachin and Kalbajar to Nakhchivan, on the border with Armenia, were historically located in the same geographic area. For many years, they were part of the Zangezur district, created in 1861, and were connected by traditional socio-economic, historical, and cultural ties, which necessitated the need to unite them in one economic region.

A new division of economic regions in Azerbaijan will ensure economic specialization, implementation of effective investment policies and flexible regional management. The creation of the new economic zones will provide an impetus for the restoration and development of the liberated territories following the 44 Day War. Therefore, the new division of economic regions can be considered as an important step in creating a unified plan for the development of the liberated territories. It is also important in terms of the reintegration of the liberated territories into the Azerbaijani economy, which requires increasing the efficiency of the work on planning the development of economic regions, ensuring efficiency in economic management, and revising the structure of these economic regions.

There is no doubt that the realization of the economic opportunities in the liberated territories after the restoration will significantly affect the economy of Azerbaijan. Because of the occupation, nearly 7000 establishments in Karabakh were closed, which were providing 24% of the grain revenues, 41% of liqueur production, 46% of the potato growth, 18% of the meat production and 34% of the milk production of the economy of Azerbaijan. The previously occupied lands also possess various rich deposits of mineral resources such as gold, copper, mercury, chromite, and lead-zinc, which were illegally exploited by Armenia during the occupation.

Restoration of these production capacities will substantially contribute to the development of different economic sectors, especially agriculture. According to preliminary estimates, the newly created East Zangezur economic region alone will be able to form about 4% of the Azerbaijani economy in the coming years as it has great opportunities in sectors such as industry, agriculture, livestock, and tourism. Although during the occupation, the region’s share of the total GDP of Azerbaijan fell to 0.1%, in the near future it will be possible to produce about $1.76 billion of agricultural and industrial products in the Jabrayil, Kalbajar, Gubadli, Lachin, and Zangilan districts.

Liberated territories also have a substantial renewable, especially hydro energy potential. About 2,56 billion cubic meters of water, or 25% of Azerbaijan’s local water resources, are formed in Karabakh, which creates opportunities for the establishment of hydro power plants (HPP). During the 44 Days War, Azerbaijan gained control over the 30 HPPs which were operated using the mentioned water resources and destroyed by Armenian occupiers. Many of these power plants have been restored, and restoration work is continuing on others. Karabakh also has a considerable solar and wind energy potential. According to the preliminary estimates of the International Renewable Energy Agency, the liberated areas have more than 4,000 megawatts of solar and up to 500 megawatts of wind energy potential. The Kalbajar and Lachin regions have large wind energy potential, whereas the Zangilan, Jabrayil, and Fizuli regions are rich with solar energy potential.

For the realization of the economic potential of liberated territories, it is also necessary to have a sustainable transport infrastructure. Therefore, one of the main directions of the restoration program for the liberated territories is the establishment of a comprehensive transport infrastructure. The Fuzuli International Airport, the first airport in Karabakh, has already been built and test flights have been carried out. The runway of this airport spans 3,000 meters in length and 60 meters in width. Foundations for the other two international airports in the Zengilan and Lachin districts of Karabakh were also laid. Along with airports, Azerbaijan has also commenced work on restoring and expanding the network of local highways and railroads in liberated territories. Some highways have already been put into operation. These roads will enable access to Karabakh from the northern, eastern, and southern directions, transforming it into the transportation hub in the region.

All the mentioned economic capabilities of the liberated territories in agriculture, energy, transport, and other sectors demonstrate that their realization and effective management through the new division of the economic regions will significantly contribute to the economic development of Karabakh and the Azerbaijan economy. Hence, one of the main goals of the restoration of Karabakh is to bring its share in the Azerbaijani economy back to pre-occupation levels. The economic development of the Karabakh and East Zangazur economic regions and their access to the international north-south and east-west transport corridors, as well as the Zangezur corridor, will also transform Karabakh into the economic driver of the entire South Caucasus. As an economic driver, it will become the symbol of regional cooperation instead of the region of the conflict as it was during the Armenian occupation.

*Orkhan Baghirov, Leading advisor, Center of Analysis of International Relations



Chess: World Women’s Chess Championship: India Beats Armenia in Round 3

Parkev Tvankchian
News 18
Sept 28 2021
  • PTI
  • LAST UPDATED:SEPTEMBER 28, 2021, 23:08 IST
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The Indian team posted a second straight win in Pool A of the FIDE World Women’s Team Chess Championship by beating Armenia 2.5-1.5 in the third round here on Tuesday. The Indians had defeated Spain 2.5-1.5 in the second round late on Monday to notch up the first win after being held to a 2-2 draw in the opener against Azerbaijan.

With the win in round three, India moved up to the second spot on 7 board points and 5 match points behind the formidable Russia (11 board points, 6 match points). In the match against Armenia, Tania Sachdev and Bhakti Kulkarni notched up the important wins to set up the victory. D Harika had settled for a draw against Elina Danielian while the talented, young R Vaishali went down to Lilit Mkrtchian.

Sachdev, an experienced player, got the better of Anna M Sargsyan in 40 moves in a Goglidze Attack game. Kulkarni contributed a vital point by taming Susanna Gaboyan in a 30-move affair. Vaishali, who had won her matches in the first two rounds, suffered a reverse at the hands of Mkrtchian in a 30-move English Variation game.

In other third round matches, Russia outclassed Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5 and host Spain edged past France 2.5-1.5. Earlier in the second round, Vaishali had scored the only win for India, beating Sabrina Vega Gutierrez while the others including the No.1 player Harika, Bhakti Kulkarni and Mary Ann Gomes drew against their respective opponents.

While Harika shared honours with Matnadze, Kulkarni and Gomes drew against Maria Eizaguerri Floris and Marta Garcia Martin respectively.

https://www.news18.com/news/sports/world-womens-chess-championship-india-beats-armenia-in-round-3-4258586.html
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Sports: Columbus Crew’s Lucas Zelarayan declares for Armenian national team

Shushan Frangulian
Sept 28 2021
By Dylan Butler @Dylan_Butler

Lucas Zelarayan always has a trick up his sleeve, especially when stepping up to take a free kick.

But the Columbus Crew midfielder perhaps offered his biggest surprise yet when announcing on Tuesday that he's joining the Armenian national team.

The 29-year-old playmaker, who has Armenian roots, was born in Argentina and never represented either country at any level.

Now, after negotiations with the president of Armenia's football federation and their national team coach, Zelarayan will feature for the European country in October's World Cup qualifiers against Iceland and Romania.

“I have made a very important decision for me – to play for Armenian national team. It wasn’t a decision made in one day, it was a well-thought step. I have spoken to the FFA president Armen Melikbekyan and the national team head coach Joaquin Caparros during the last year. They presented the program of the federation to me,” Zelarayán told the FFA official website.

“I knew about my Armenian roots, but I haven’t had close relations with the Armenian community in Argentina. That’s why I needed time to make this important decision. After discussing everything with my family in September I made a decision to join the Armenian national team. Now I am excited about it. I am aware of the big goals this team wants to achieve and I am ready to do my best to make this happen. I am happy to join the Armenian national team during this important period and I hope to have new achievement with the national team,” he added.

Armenia are second in UEFA Group J with 11 points from six matches, four points behind group-leading Germany. The top squad directly qualifies for the World Cup, while the second-place side advances to the playoff stage.

Zelarayan has been among MLS' most electrifying players since signing with Columbus as a Designated Player out of Liga MX's Tigres UANL. Aside from leading the Crew to the 2020 MLS Cup title, he also took home MLS Newcomer of the Year honors.

Through 41 games with Columbus, Zelaryan has 13 goals and eight assists.

​Armenian soldier wounded in Gegharkunik region from Azerbaijani fire

Alex Nanijanian
MediaMax, Armenia
Sept 28 2021

Armenian soldier wounded in Gegharkunik region from Azerbaijani fire

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian Ministry of Defense has stated that an Armenian serviceman has been wounded today in Gegharkunik region.

“At around 11.30A.M. private Garnik Abrahamyan has sustained a gunshot wound to his arm from the fire opened by Azerbaijani units in the direction of combat positions of Kut village, in Gegharkunik region, near the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. His life is not at risk,” the ministry said in a statement.

Twenty-Nine Schools Across Artsakh’s Martuni Region Receive Science Lab Kits

Ani Kharatian

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SEPT. 28, 2021

CONTACT: RUPEN JANBAZIAN
DIRECTOR, PUBLIC RELATIONS
YEREVAN +374-98-222-5578
[email protected]

A total of 33 kits were donated by Judith Saryan and Victor Zarougian of Massachusetts

Martuni, Artsakh (TUFENKIAN FOUNDATION)—Twenty-nine schools in Artsakh’s Martuni region recently received portable science laboratory kits through the Tufenkian Foundation’s “Tufenkian for Martuni's Schools” program.

The Micro Lab 7 (ML7) kits, which are designed and built by Aleksandr and Tigran Yesayan, the grandson and great-grandson of famed Armenian writer Zabel Yessayan, were generously donated by Judith Saryan and Victor Zarougian of Massachusetts. Thirty-three kits in total were donated to the schools.

“We visited Aleksandr’s laboratory at Yerevan State University (YSU) back in 2019. He and Tigran showed us the lab kits that they had developed for classrooms because only a handful of schools have lab equipment in Armenia,” explained long-time Tufenkian supporter, Judith Saryan. It was then that Judith and her husband Victor decided to donate several of the kits to schools in Artsakh. “The kits will give students opportunities to use microscopes and experience how experiments are conducted. Experiential learning is extremely important in the sciences and needs to be emphasized in classrooms,” Saryan added.  

The Tufenkian Foundation hosted a gathering of the principals of Martuni’s schools at the Martuni Regional Administration building on Sept. 16, to hand over the kits that will be used by seventh-graders across the region. During the event, the Deputy Head of the Martuni Regional Administration Vadim Danielyan thanked the Tufenkian Foundation on behalf of the town’s residents.

According to Manush Vanyan, the principal of Sos’ Hayk Hakobyan Middle School, the kits are a necessary addition to the classroom. “These kits, which were graciously donated to our schools today, were put together with the mandated seventh-grade curriculum in mind and will be put to good use right away,” said Vanyan, who also happens to teach biology at the school. “The labs will help us teach with a more practical, hands-on approach. It's one thing to learn through a textbook; it’s another thing for the students to look through a microscope and examine the slides themselves,” she added. 

Earlier this year, Tigran Yesayan, who is pursuing his Ph.D. at Yerevan State University (YSU), won first place in the AbioNET Startup competition for his ML7 kit. The AbioNET Startup competition was held in cooperation between YSU and the Technical University of Dresden with funding by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union.

The donation of the ML7 kits is a part of the Tufenkian Foundation’s Martuni Region School program, through which the Foundation is refurbishing and restoring educational institutions, providing learning materials and technology, and retraining teachers across Martuni. “Several schools in the town and villages of Martuni need desperate attention. Through the “Tufenkian for Martuni's Schools” program, we ensure that future generations learn in a safe, welcoming, and nurturing environment,” explained Tufenkian Foundation operations director, Greg Bedian.

* * *

Established in 1999, the Tufenkian Foundation addresses the most pressing social, economic, cultural, and environmental challenges facing Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh). Since its inception, the Tufenkian Foundation has supported various community initiatives as well as civic activism and public advocacy campaigns to help improve life in Armenia, while providing housing, education, social, health, and livelihood support for the Armenians of Artsakh.

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 ATTACHED IMAGES: 

1.      A scene from the handover event, which took place at the Martuni Regional Administration building on Sept. 16 (Photo: Tufenkian Foundation)

2.      A total of 33 kits were given to 29 schools. (Photo: Tufenkian Foundation)

3.      Tufenkian Foundation operations director Greg Bedian (L) and Deputy Head of the Martuni Regional Administration Vadim Danielyan (R) at the Sept. 16 event. (Photo: Tufenkian Foundation)

4.      The ML7 kits include microscopes and other necessary materials for Artsakh’s seventh-grade curriculum (Photo: Tufenkian Foundation)

5.      Judith Saryan and Victor Zarougian (File photo)

Chairman Menendez Presses US Ambassador to Turkey Nominee on Armenian Genocide

Emil Lazarian
Washington, D.C. – During today’s confirmation hearing of former U.S. Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), pressed Flake on Turkey's ongoing denial in light of U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide by President Joe Biden, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).
 
Senator Menendez stated that "for many decades, the Armenian Genocide has been denied by the descendants of those who perpetrated it. In 2019, the Senate recognized the Armenian Genocide for the first time. In April of this year, on Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, President Biden joined us in acknowledging this truth. In the past you've voted against resolutions that recognized the Armenian Genocide. Will you join this body and the administration in reaffirming the Armenian Genocide?"
 
Senator Flake responded: "Yes."
Senator Menendez continued: "If you're confirmed, will you reiterate that commitment on April 24, which is Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day?”
 
Senator Flake responded: "I will."
In addition, the Chairman, along with his colleagues, raised a number of concerns about Turkey’s continued intentions to purchase additional Russian-made S-400 anti-aircraft weapons systems, which military analysts have determined compromise NATO and U.S. security. They also raised questions about Turkey's visible lack of respect for human rights and freedom of the press, with more journalists in prison that any other country, with the exception of Communist Party-controlled China.
 
In light of Turkey’s continued pursuit of Russian weaponry and flouting of NATO disapproval, the importance and need for instituting the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) were emphasized on a bipartisan basis.
 
In addition, Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) asked how Senator Flake would advance democratic values and human rights, while Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) expressed concerns that "President Erdogan has taken Turkey way off track and in the wrong direction both with respect to NATO commitments overall as well as other malign actions in the region and undermining human rights at home… We also have seen him aiding and abetting the attacks against Armenia."
 
Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) noted that Senator Flake will "have a difficult balancing act" as there are a lot of issues to "hold Turkey accountable for, from Cyprus to the repression of religious minorities, to ongoing tensions with Greece, to Armenian Genocide recognition."
 
In his written testimony, Senator Flake stated that: "If confirmed, I will encourage Turkey to support efforts to find a sustainable long-term solution to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan and encourage peaceful and diplomatic resolutions to disagreements in the Eastern Mediterranean."
 
"We applaud Chairman Menendez’s commitment to human rights, democratic values and the importance of U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide," said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. "In addition, it remains critically important for the U.S. to continue to support the Armenian people in the face of ongoing aggression and threats emanating from Azerbaijan and Turkey,” Ardouny added.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

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NR# 2021-84

Armenpress: Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 27-09-21

Emil Lazarian

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 27-09-21

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 17:40, 27 September, 2021

YEREVAN, 27 SEPTEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 27 September, USD exchange rate up by 0.47 drams to 481.29 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 1.23 drams to 562.92 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.03 drams to 6.63 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.40 drams to 659.17 drams.

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

Gold price up by 26.40 drams to 27029.69 drams. Silver price up by 0.35 drams to 350.64 drams. Platinum price up by 14.64 drams to 14994.14 drams.