Armenia official: Azerbaijan makes statements that do not correspond to negotiations

NEWS.am
Armenia – June 2 2022

Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, believes that there is a difference between “corridor” and “corridors.” He expressed his respective view during a press briefing Thursday at the government.

Responding to the insinuation that Azerbaijan and Turkey continue to make statements about the corridor that Azerbaijan wants to get under the guise of opening regional transport communications, Grigoryan said, “Corridor or corridors? These are different things.”

The head of the Security Council, however, denied the statements of the Azerbaijani side about the possibility of a corridor, and reminded that the talks took place in Brussels.

“There was a clarification from Brussels that there were no discussions in the corridor logic. Our Moscow colleagues also said about this at the time. (…) Azerbaijan makes statements that do not correspond to the negotiations. But we can clearly state that everything we negotiate, publicly comment on has not been denied by our partners; moreover, they confirm,” Armen Grigoryan said.

Kristinne Grigoryan: A priority of Armenia ombudsperson’s office is to assist overcoming post-war humanitarian situation

NEWS.am
Armenia – June 2 2022

One of the priorities of the office of the ombudsperson of Armenia is to assist the process of overcoming the post-war humanitarian situation. Ombudsperson Kristinne Grigoryan stated this Thursday at the joint sitting of the standing parliamentary committees—during their preliminary discussion of the 2021 state budget execution.

According to her, the aforesaid primarily concerns the facilitation of the return of prisoners of war and other detainees, as well as finding out the fate of the missing.

Also, as per Grigoryan, the Armenian ombudsman’s office provides various types of assistance to the families of prisoners of war and missing persons.

“In particular, social, economic, and psychological support is provided. That is, in this case we are talking about multi-vector assistance,” Grigoryan explained.

Armenia PM chief of staff: Artsakh is frontline of our war

NEWS.am
Armenia – June 2 2022

Artsakh is the frontline of our war and, naturally, it can see more fears and problems than any of us. Arayik Harutyunyan, the Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister of Armenia, told this to reporters in the National Assembly Thursday—and referring to the fact that the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) authorities state that Armenia’s authorities should give up their “catastrophic position” on the Artsakh issue.

“But the Artsakh authorities are informed of all the processes that there are. I cannot say more than that. I can simply tell our colleagues in Artsakh to study the reality a little more, and they will see that there is no need for such steps, statements,” he said.

Harutyunyan claimed that the issue of enclaves is not being discussed.

“Yes. Various parties put forward those agendas, but it was said that there are no such justifications. If one side comes and says, ‘these are my maximum demands, and I cannot discuss anything else,’ everything closes there. But if you with arguments, gradually … of course, you have red lines for yourself, minimum and maximum thresholds, and you are going to the negotiations according to that logic,” said the Armenian PM’s chief of staff.

In Baku, participants of second Karabakh war break down doors of Ministry

NEWS.am
Armenia – June 2 2022

A group of participants of the second Karabakh war, about 10 people, held a protest in front of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population in Baku today.

According to “Turan”, their complaints were related to getting disability and social benefits. The veterans demanded that Minister Sahil Babayev came out to them and solved their problems.

Having been refused, the veterans stormed into the reception room, where there was confusion.

In turn, the Department of Public Relations of the Ministry of Labor confirmed that the veterans’ demand was related to the evaluation of disability.

“Each appeal is registered and will be reviewed, and measures will be taken in accordance with the results,” the Labor Ministry said. The same source indicated that some veterans “committed unlawful acts in the emergency room, broke computer equipment, the front door, the turnstile, and damaged state property.” “Measures will also be taken in connection with this,” the Labor Ministry said in a statement, the publication reported.

Stepanakert does not comment on reports about Harutyunyan and Pashinyan meeting

NEWS.am
Armenia – June 2 2022

The press secretary of the President of Artsakh Lusine Avanesyan in conversation with the reporter of NEWS.am neither refuted, nor confirmed that President Arayik Harutyunyan had a meeting with the Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan today.

“Such rumors have no comment,” Lusine Avanesyan said.

According to the rumors circulated in the media, Artsakh President arrived in Armenia and met with Prime Minister Pashinyan in the government building.

According to these sources, the reason for the meeting was a crowded rally in Stepanakert on 28 May, where Artsakh people chanted “Nikol the traitor,” and Pashinyan found the speeches and appeals made during the rally in connection with the defense of Artsakh problematic.

Sports: Preview: Armenia vs. Republic of Ireland – prediction, team news, lineups [& other links]

Sports Mole
June 2 2022

Republic of Ireland get their UEFA Nations League campaign underway on Saturday with a fixture against Group B1 minnows Armenia.

With Ukraine and Scotland also present in the group, both nations are under pressure to make a quick start in a bid to earn promotion to the top tier.

While it has long been accepted that Republic of Ireland are going through something of a transitional period, supporters understandably expected more from Stephen Kenny in his first year in the job.

However, that run of disheartening results is forgotten, Republic of Ireland now having lost just once in 12 matches, that solitary defeat coming in the final seconds against Portugal on away territory.

Kenny’s side have not exactly got any noteworthy wins under their belt – the best being a 3-0 success in Azerbaijan – but plenty of encouragement will be taken from the recent home draws with Portugal and Belgium.

Ukraine and Scotland will be tipped to win this group, but the tag of underdogs against opposition who are not that far ahead of them should suit Republic of Ireland perfectly.

Five clean sheets have been recorded in their last six fixtures, the only goals being shipped coming in the 2-2 draw with Belgium in March.

As far as Armenia are concerned, they are competing at this level for the first time after earning promotion during the first two Nations League campaigns.

Last time out, they topped a group which included Euro 2020 qualifiers North Macedonia, a return of 11 points from six games being enough to move into the second tier.

However, the highs from that achievement have now been lost completely. Joaquin Caparros‘s side have won just one of their last 11 matches, suffering six defeats during that period.

On a positive note, their 1-0 success over Montenegro came as recently as March, but a 9-0 thrashing in Norway followed five days later, making it 18 goals conceded in four matches.

These two nations have not square off since qualifying for Euro 2012, Republic of Ireland posting a 2-1 win in Dublin on that occasion.

Armenia form (all competitions):
  • D
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • W
  • L
Republic of Ireland form (all competitions):


  • W
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • W

With Matt Doherty missing out through injury, Kenny may decide to switch Seamus Coleman to right wing-back.

That would likely see Nathan Collins brought into the middle of the backline in what may be the only change to the team which drew with Belgium.

However, goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu is back to challenge Caoimhin Kelleher for a place between the sticks, while forward Michael Obafemi has been recalled to the squad.

Armenia will make at least one change from the defeat in Norway, with Sargis Adamyan potentially taking the spot of the absent Erik Vardanyan.

Hrayr Mkoyan may also return to the centre of the backline with youngster Styopa Mkrtchyan dropping down to the substitutes’ bench.

Armenia possible starting lineup:
Yurchenko; Ararat, Haroyan, Mkoyan, Hovhannisyan; Barseghyan, Spertsyan, Udo, Bayramyan; Bichakhchyan, Adamyan

Republic of Ireland possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Collins, Duffy, Egan; Coleman, Cullen, Hendrick, McClean; Ogbene, Robinson, Knight

Despite Republic of Ireland being the favourites to prevail at the weekend, we cannot help but think that the visitors will not have it all their own way. Nevertheless, on the back of a lengthy unbeaten streak, the Boys In Green may have the confidence to edge a competitive game in the closing stages.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/republic-of-ireland/uefa-nations-league/preview/preview-armenia-vs-reppoint-ireland-prediction-team-news-lineups_487220.html
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Sports: Kenny insists Ireland need to focus on Armenia despite upcoming Ukraine challenge

June 2 2022
Kenny insists Ireland cannot afford to be distracted by the bigger challenge ahead of Ukraine when they face Armenia on Saturday

Stephen Kenny insists Ireland cannot afford to be distracted by the bigger challenge ahead of Ukraine when they face Armenia on Saturday in their Uefa Nations League opener.

Ukraine are within 90 minutes of reaching the World Cup following Wednesday’s impressive 3-1 win away to Scotland – ironically another of the B1 group nations.

In a congested end-of-season window, Ukraine meet Wales in Sunday’s World Cup playoff decider before travelling to the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.

Ireland’s chances of reaching Qatar this November were ended over a year ago and their weekend assignment against the pool’s bottom seeds takes place in the low-key setting of Yerevan.

Stiflingly hot conditions of 30+ degrees greeted the Irish team on their arrival into the Armenia capital on Wednesday but the Ireland boss was playing it cool when it came to the plan of action.

He has already the team a target of topping their group and isn’t deviating from it despite watching Ukraine put months of anguish from the Russian invasion behind them to dominate the Scots. Benfica striker Roman Yaremchuk, whose header put them 2-0 ahead at Hampden Park, particularly impressed the Ireland boss.

“Ukraine were excellent in the game, really impressive,” said Kenny, who watched the game on television from their Yerevan base.

“We knew that as we have watched a lot of their games. They have a lot of really good technical players, easily able to change their midfield three.

“Yaremchuk is a really good centre-forward too and Ukraine deserved to win but Scotland probably didn’t play to their full potential.

“To be honest, we really must just focus on Armenia. Coming away from home, Armenia’s results have been up and down, but they have had some good home wins here against Iceland and Romania, two good teams.

“They won their last Uefa Nations League group over Georgia and North Macedonia to win promotion to League B so you have to respect that. This is the game we are fully focused on and trying to get ourselves ready for.” Meanwhile, Kenny’s latest No 3 coach, John Eustace, will link up with the squad on Thursday night after getting married.

The highly-regarded tutor was recruited by Kenny in time for the March friendlies against Belgium and Lithuania, replacing Anthony Barry who had filled in following the shock resignation of Damien Duff in January 2021.

“When John was appointed, he said the one problem he had was that his wedding was on (this week),” explained the manager.

“He had it all booked for this week in the Cotswolds and I said that was fine.

“John was with us for the first three days of the camp in Dublin and got a couple of days off.” Eustace’s club situation is unclear. He has operated on the backroom staff at QPR since 2018 but they this week lured Steven Gerrard’s assistant Michael Beale to Loftus Road as boss and it remains to be seen if he’ll recruit new assistants.

Sports: Why Scotland must look beyond Ukraine to Armenia and the echoes of Albania in 2018

June 2 2022

That question is a very simple one to answer on this occasion. They head back to Hampden Park next Wednesday night for a game against Armenia that, right now, many cannot see far enough. The players will likely fall into this camp too.

Let’s hope the collective hangover following such a bitterly disappointing defeat to Ukraine is of the Andy Robertson variety. Quick to clear.

We will never know what might have happened had the play-off semi-final, rightly delayed due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, been played when originally scheduled in March.

Nathan Patterson may well have been able to play though match fitness might still have been an issue. More significantly, Kieran Tierney, who it’s been proved time and time again is such an important cog in Steve Clarke’s favoured system, would likely have been available.

Even then, there is no guarantee Scotland would have overcome a clearly talented Ukraine team. Defeat, though, might have been easier to stomach in the Spring. The Scotland players would have dispersed back to their clubs after a meaningless friendly against Austria. Life would have gone on. Domestic issues would quickly dominate the agenda again. Semi-finals, finals. Relegation, promotion. It would not have stung so much.

It feels like a form of torture to be locked inside an international window while trying to cope with the realisation that it will be 2026 at the very least until Scotland appear at another World Cup. That’s a gap of almost 30 years. A couple of generations. Those who attended the Morocco game in St Etienne in 1998 while young, free and single could easily be grandparents now.

The next World Cup is being held in Mexico, Canada and the United States. The number of competing teams has been increased to 48, with Europe handed three extra qualifying spots. Whether Clarke will still be around to make up for his exclusion from the squad for Italia ’90 in his playing days – he was included in the original pool – remains to be seen. His current contract extends only to the end of qualifying for Euro 2024.

Whether he likes it or not, the focus has returned to the manager in the aftermath of such a comprehensive defeat to Ukraine. As much as Scotland’s improvement under Clarke is undeniable, Wednesday was the third time in just 12 months that his side have been well beaten on a big occasion at Hampden.

All three games might have been against quality opposition, but they are the type of teams who Scotland need to overcome to make an impact at international level. Czech Republic, Croatia and Ukraine are all ranked higher than Scotland. However, they should not have been allowed to pick off the hosts as easily as they did.

Clarke will have regrets. As against Czech Republic, when he sent on Lyndon Dykes for Ryan Christie with Scotland trailing by a goal, he felt compelled to change things at half-time against Ukraine. This time the switch was reversed – Christie for Dykes. Goals were lost shortly after the interval on both occasions.

He opted for two strikers against Croatia in the last, must-win group fixture and the Scots were never in it.

He did the same on Wednesday – Dykes and Che Adams again – and the game ran away from the hosts once more. There is much for Clarke to ponder in the coming days. The next games in Scotland’s summer programme are against lower quality opponents. A trip to Dublin to face Republic of Ireland is bookended by home and away clashes with Armenia.

There is the prospect of players developing niggles and dropping out. The scrutiny on those such as Andy Robertson and Scott McTominay, the property of Liverpool and Manchester United respectively, will be intense.

Everyone will require some time to process this latest disappointment. A promising campaign that finished on such a high against Denmark unravelled in 90 minutes – or around 48 minutes in truth.

Ukraine’s second goal at Hampden was the ultimate buzzkill. Scotland did show signs of life in the last half an hour and might well have forced extra-time at least had John McGinn not somehow managed to skew his header wide when it seemed easier to score.

Callum McGregor’s goal with 11 minutes left brought Hampden to life. But Ukraine still looked just as likely to score as Scotland and the visitors did help themselves to another goal with the game’s last kick.

The Ukraine tie has dominated the national side’s calendar for the past six months. The play-off draw was made as long ago as November. It’s been difficult to look beyond a match on which so much hinged. But now we must. We must.

The format for Euro 2024 is not yet confirmed. Information detailing how teams might earn play-off spots from the 2022/23 Nations League is still to be announced. Uefa are expected to provide further details in the coming days.

But Scotland are already aware of its possibilities. Last summer’s Euro 2020 adventures were on the back of finishing top of Group C in the inaugural edition of the Nations League. The upcoming games might seem like a chore, but they need to be treated the same as qualifiers. Because that, effectively, is what they are.

Who now remembers a 2-0 win at Hampden Park against Albania in September 2018? Only 17,500 turned up to watch what proved an important stepping stone on the way to Scotland’s first major finals for 23 years.

Next Wednesday’s meeting with Armenia could provide a similar springboard before an always competitive fixture in Dublin against Stephen Kenny’s Republic of Ireland three days later.

Turkish press: Island becomes peninsula as water ebbs in Lake Van

An 800-meter-long road connecting the famous Çarpanak Island and a peninsula has come to the surface as the water ebbed in Turkey’s largest Lake Van in the last two years.

“The Island of Çarpanak has turned into a peninsula,” İhlas News Agency reported on May 26.

According to the agency, the island was the endpoint of a peninsula for centuries.

But with the raising of the water levels in the lake between 1990 and 1995, the ancient 800-meter-long road submerged and the Çatanak Island was formed.

Calling the island a “natural wonder” and “tourism hub,” a professor from the Van Yüzüncü Yıl University highlighted that “Çatanak was a mysterious island.”

“The island has a connection with the mainland. The road shows that the island was once connected to the mainland,” Faruk Alaeddinoğlu told the agency.

“With the rise of the water level, a corridor of water separated the island from its peninsula.”

When asked about the reasons behind the water ebbing, the professor pointed out global warming and its effects, such as vaporization.

“Lake Van is an inland lake, and the water levels increase and decrease at times in all enclosed lakes,” he said.

Reminding of the old days of the island when it was a part of a peninsula at the beginning of the 1990s, Alaeddinoğlu noted, “In 2020 and 2021, the water ebbed, and the 800-long-road became visible.”

But, “unfortunately,” the water ebbing seems to continue in the coming years, too.

“People used to swim to the island from the mainland. There will come a time when they will walk to today’s Çarpanak Island,” he expressed.

However, according to the professor, whatever happens to the island, Çarpanak is “still a tourism hub to see.”

He recommended visiting the island, especially to nature lovers. “They should visit the island now and take the joy in it,” he added.

The island is now uninhabited but formerly contained an Armenian monastery called “Ktuts.” The ruins of the monastery can still be seen.

According to the tradition, the monastery was founded in the fourth century by St. Gregory the Illuminator after his return from Rome.

The first historical records referring to the monastery date back to the 15th century, when it was known for scriptorium. The monastery was destroyed by an earthquake in 1648, before being rebuilt in the 18th century.

Armenpress: Armenian PM, Iranian President hold phone talk

Armenian PM, Iranian President hold phone talk

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 09:30, 2 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi held a telephone conversation, the PM’s Office said.

PM Pashinyan shared his impressions and provided information about the latest meeting held in Brussels.

The sides exchanged ideas particularly about the opening of regional communications, the launch of delimitation works of the Armenia-Azerbaijan state border, the settlement process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the prospects of normalization of the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Issues relating to the bilateral agenda were also discussed. The sides particularly focused on matters relating to the Armenia-Iran third power transmission line, the construction of North-South highway and energy sector.

Pashinyan and Raisi reaffirmed the mutual invitations on paying an official visit and agreed that mutual visits will take place to the capitals of the two countries.