VOA By John Xie February 04, 2021 As the Biden administration contemplates a return to Obama-era policies in the Middle East – from the Iran nuclear deal to Israeli-Palestinian negotiations -- it is finding those policies complicated by China’s rising role as an influential political player throughout the region. China became the largest trading partner of Arab countries in the first half of 2020 with two-way trade of more than $115 billion. It has established strategic partnerships or a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with 12 Arab nations. A recent survey conducted in the region found China is viewed more favorably than the United States. Arab Barometer, a research network based at Princeton University, polled citizens in six countries in the Middle East -- Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia -- to gauge their attitudes toward China and the U.S. "The survey results make clear that Arab publics prefer China," the organization said. China’s government has made its “Belt and Road” infrastructure initiative a key part of its regional outreach. Although the U.S. still criticizes the plan for extending loans that some countries may struggle to repay, 18 nations have joined including Israel, Washington’s closest ally in the region. Through this trillion-dollar initiative, China has invested throughout Asia, Europe and Africa. "To connect all these places, China is very active in building or helping to build or helping to finance ports and military bases and just striking up strong economic and strategic partnerships with the countries of the greater Middle East," Robert D. Kaplan, chair in geopolitics at the Pennsylvania-based Foreign Policy Research Institute, told VOA in a telephone interview. By linking Europe with East Asia through the Middle East, China could dominate Afro-Eurasia trading routes —what the great British geographer Halford Mackinder labeled the “World-Island,” said Kaplan. The U.S. regional withdrawal The last two decades have seen Washington escalating and then winding down its presence in the Middle East and southwest Asia. After years of grinding wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, support for foreign military engagements in the region has dropped among members of both U.S. political parties. Former President Barack Obama once described the region as beset by conflicts going back millennia, while Donald Trump repeatedly advocated that the U.S. should leave behind the "forever wars." "I think that the Americans have been complaining and Americans in the national security community have been complaining for two or three decades now that the Middle East is a distraction from the things that we really need to commit to it," said Robert Farley, a senior lecturer at the University of Kentucky, in a telephone interview with VOA. Patterson is with the university’s Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce. Analysts say the fierce competition between China and the U.S. has reinforced Washington's desire to reduce the strategic importance of the Middle East, which some have been pushing for since the Obama administration’s "Pivot to Asia" 10 years ago. Kaplan argued that as Beijing fills the Middle East vacuum, it will eventually pose a threat to the U.S. "It's a threat because most of the talk in Washington over the past few years is that we need to withdraw from the Middle East, because we've been engaged there in the so-called endless wars. And if we truly withdraw, or even partially withdraw from the Middle East, that will open up a vast avenue of opportunity for the Chinese," Kaplan told VOA. Iran - China's foothold While China is happy to work with both foes and friends of Washington in the region, its tie to Iran holds particular significance for both countries. Burdened by sanctions and deepening isolation on the world stage, Tehran has turned to China for economic and military support while Beijing looks for cheaper energy resources. After a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the two countries established a so-called Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016, giving China a foothold in a region that has been a strategic preoccupation of the United States for decades. Wojciech Michnik is an assistant professor of international relations and security studies at Poland’s Jagiellonian University. He said among the influential powers in the Middle East, Iran is China's natural partner. “Iran is quite an important power, especially after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq and the fallout of the Saddam Hussein, Iran gained in terms of the relative power in the region. It has been using its proxies from Syria to Yemen," Michnik told VOA. China is currently Iran’s largest trading partner and oil buyer, as well as Iran’s largest export market for non-oil products and an important source of foreign investment. Bilateral trade was only about $400 million in 1994 but increased to $2.48 billion in 2000. By 2019, according to data release by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the value reached more than $23 billion, an increase of nearly 10 times. With the change in the U.S. administration and Washington's policy on the Iran nuclear agreement, the two governments have recently recommitted to strengthening their relationship. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf is the speaker of Iran’s hardliner-dominated parliament. Last month, he told Li Zhanshu of China's National People's Congress that "ties between Tehran and Beijing are not and will not be affected by the international conditions” and will continue to deepen. Engagement redefined While experts doubt the United States will be disengaging in any substantial way from the Middle East, Washington’s interests are likely shifting from a focus on terrorism to China’s growing regional influence. "Yes, we do need to confront China, but now we need to pay attention to the Middle East, not because of terrorism, but rather because of China's growing influence in Iran, of China's developing relationship with Saudi Arabia, and so forth,” said Farley, who was also a visiting professor at the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania. He said that shift in thinking is reflected in other parts of the U.S. national security community, where analysts have begun to redefine what American engagement means in the context of China’s robust foreign diplomacy.
Author: Alex Jidarian
Artsakh military releases names of 52 more fallen soldiers
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 5 2021
The Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Defense Army on Friday, February 5, released the names of 52 more Armenian servicemen killed repelling Azerbaijani attacks during the 2020 war.
Margaryan Spartak Arsen, born in 2002
Gulabyan Yurik Gurgen, born in 1999
Manucharyan Arman Arshak, born in 1997
Tadevosyan Liparit Armen, born in 2001
Seyradaryan Harutyun Yervand, born in 2002
Khachatryan Sargis Vladimir, born in 2001
Tevosyan David Arthur, born in 2001
Arakelyan Mher Sasun, born in 2000
Chobanyan Armen Ashot, born in 2001
Avetumyan Mayis Shahen, born in 2001
Akinyan Israyel Gagik, born in 2001
Poghosyan Hovhannes Varuzhan, born in 2002
Reservist Poghosyan Tigran Zhorzhik, born in 1990
Reservist Sahakyan Sasun Nikolay, born in 1990
Volunteer Gevorgyan Andranik Armen, born in 1989
Reservist Aslanyan Armen Nikolay, born in 1975
Reservist Hovakimyan Husik Grigor, born in 1996
Reservist Manucharyan Georgi Artem, born in 1986
Reservist Harutyunyan Varuzhan Yakov, born in 1976
Balayan Ara Vladimir, born in 1976
Reservist Bezhanyan Aghasi Vahram, born in 1997
Reservist Mamunts Arthur Radik, born in 1989
Reservist Teymurazyan Grigor Levon, born in 1998
Reservist Nersesyan Armen Perch, born in 1980
Reservist Manukyan Manuk Slavik, born in 1970
Reservist Torosyan Manuk Gagik, born in 1985
Reservist Matevosyan Arayik Patvakan, born in 1971
Reservist Arakelyan Hovsep Melik, born in 1995
Atoyan Melik Robert, born in 1989
Revazyan Avag Gevorg, born in 1989
Ohanyan Sevak Vardan, born in 1985
Volunteer Akoghlyan Ashot Markos, born in 1984
Volunteer Karapetyan Mikayel Gurgen, born in 1993
Reservist Shahnazaryan Andranik Martiros, born in 1983
Reservist Avetisyan Tigran Hamik, born in 1990
Reservist Mkrtchyan Harutyun Seyran, born in 1993
Reservist Arshakyan Gevorg Seyran, born in 1992
Reservist Barseghyan Garik Grigor, born in 1983
Reservist Martirosyan Armen Garegin, born in 1986
Reservist Avetisyan Smbat Miran, born in 1989
Reservist Harutyunyan Sargis Vahram, born in 1994
Reservist Margaryan Roman Surik, born in 1995
Reservist Andreasyan Harutyun Gevorg, born in 1990
Ghazaryan Arman Arsen, born in 2001
Gevorgyan Narek Roman, born in 2000
Babayan Gevorg Sevak, born in 2001
Jivanyan Vahe Mihran, born in 2001
Hovsepyan Mikayel David, born in 2000
Khachatryan Suren Seyran, born in 1979
Ghazaryan Vahe Ashot, born in 1977
Zurabyan Artush Vanik, born in 1967
Navasardyan Sargis Frunzik, born in 1978
Armenian arms dealer "Patron Davit" arrested after court upholds National Security Service’s motion
News.am, Armenia
Feb 2 2021
Armenian arms dealer “Patron Davit” arrested after court upholds National Security Service’s motion
16:07, 02.02.2021
The Yerevan court of general jurisdiction today upheld the motion of the National Security Service of Armenia to arrest Davit Galstyan (a.k.a. Patron Davit), who is an arms dealer and a monopolist businessman in Armenia, Galstyan’s attorney Armen Harutyunyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.
Earlier, the National Security Service had issued an official press release stating that arms dealer, businessman Davit Galstyan had been apprehended and taken to the Investigation Department of the National Security Service on suspicion of embezzlement of particularly large amounts of money.
Galstyan is charged with embezzlement in particularly large amounts under the criminal case instituted and being investigated by the Investigation Department of the National Security Service.
Medvedev: Armenia and Azerbaijan should be ‘very grateful’ to Putin for his huge Karabakh efforts
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 1 2021
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev called President Vladimir Putin’s efforts on normalization of situation in Nagorno-Karabakh ‘precision work’ on Monday, TASS reported.
Speaking in an interview for the media, he reminded about the 2016 escalation between Azerbaijan and Armenia, adding that “a roadmap was prepared at the time, but, unfortunately, the two countries did not use it the,” which “led to a new conflict, a prolonged one, with many victims.”
“It is very good that, thanks to the efforts of the Russian President – and this was precision work, I watched Vladimir Vladimirovich work once, he engaged in hours-long discussions with all participants of this conflict –without this work, this conflict could have continued right now,” Medvedev underscored.
He added that “it is a huge work that both Armenia and Azerbaijan should be very grateful for to the Russian president.”
Medvedev said that after the “hot phase” of the conflict ended in November 2020, “the situation has mostly settled, and this is the most important thing, people don’t die, and there are opportunities for development.”
Delay in repatriation of Armenian POWs by Azerbaijani authorities proposed to be discussed at PACE winter session
Panorama, Armenia
Jan 25 2021
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will hold its 2021 winter plenary session from January 25 to 28 in a hybrid manner, allowing members to participate remotely or attend in person in Strasbourg.
The Assembly will debate the ethical, legal and practical considerations of COVID-19 vaccines. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will address parliamentarians in the debate.
There have been requests for three urgent debates on:
– “The arrest and detention of Alexei Navalny in January 2021”
– “The worsening situation in Belarus”
– “Freedom of _expression_ (Article 10 of the ECHR) under threat by ‘Big Tech’ Companies”.
Three current affairs debate requests have also been submitted under the titles:
– “Prohibition of Russian and other national minorities languages in Ukraine”
– “Unjustifiable delay in repatriation of the Armenian prisoners of war and other captives by Azerbaijani authorities as violation of the European International Human Rights Standards”
– “The actual human rights situation in temporary occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol during Covid-19 pandemics”.
Other topics on the agenda include ethnic profiling in Europe, restrictions on NGO activities in Council of Europe member States, and discrimination against persons dealing with chronic and long-term illnesses.
During the session, the Assembly will elect the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the Secretary General of the Assembly and the judges to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Greece and Switzerland. These elections will be held by individual electronic voting.
The European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders will address the members of the Assembly and answer their questions, as will the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, Heiko Maas (within the framework of the German presidency of the Committee of Ministers) and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić (who will present her communication).
Debates will also be held on the independence of judges in Poland and in the Republic of Moldova, and on the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. A report on parliamentary elections in Georgia will also be discussed.
The Assembly will decide its final agenda on the opening day of the session.
Vardan Voskanyan: Armenian needs a victory
Panorama, Armenia
Jan 26 2021
Expert in Iranian studies Vardan Voskanyan commented on the Monday incident in Georgia’s Marneuli region, where Azerbaijanis had reportedly attacked Armenian cargo trucks.
“The attack on Armenian trucks with stones in Azerbaijani-populated region of Georgia shows that the explicit propaganda of the idea about ‘living in peace’ after surrendering Artsakh has no touch with reality and is even very dangerous. Unless Armenia has recovered, shown its strength, recorded even a small victory in any sphere against the same enemy, we will not only be ignored but will be stoned further both literally and figuratively. Thus we would have no place to retreat or escape,” Voskanyan wrote on Facebook.
“Armenian needs a victory, and that victory will come,” concluded the expert.
Garo Paylan demands clarifications regarding demolition of Armenian church in Turkey
Public Radio of Armenia
Jan 27 2021
Jan 27 2021
Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakır MP Garo Paylan has submitted a Parliamentary question regarding the demolition of the Surp Toros Church despite being designated as an “Immovable Requiring Protection” by the Kutahya Regional Board of Cultural Heritage Protection, Bianet reports.
The historical Armenian church in Turkey’s western province of Kutaya was demolished after it came into the possession of a person.
In the Parliamentary question to the Speaker’s Office to be addressed to Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, HDP MP Paylan briefly said “dating back to 1603, the church had an important place in the city’s memory. The church was considered to be an important site of memory as it was the church where musicologist Gomidas was baptized.”
“The church was lastly used as a wedding hall and a movie hall; the authorities remained indifferent to the Armenian community’s calls for its restoration or, at least, its use as a cultural center,” Paylan said.
Paylan also referred to the remarks of Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said, “We did not, do not and will not interfere with the belief, worship or the sacred of anyone.”
Paylan noted that “this demolition, despite Erdogan’s remarks, has deeply saddened and hurt all Christians, especially the Armenian citizens.”
Accordingly, Paylan asked the Minister the following questions:
- How was the Kutahya Surp Toros Armenian Church demolished despite the protection order?
- Has an investigation been launched against the person who demolished the church?
- Has an investigation been launched against the public officials who made way for the demolition of the church under protection?
- Why do you remain silent to the destruction of Armenians’ cultural heritage?
- Will you take any action to ensure that the church will be rebuilt to its original?
After the Surp Toros Church in Turkey’s Aegean province of Kutahya passed into the ownership of a person, it was completely destroyed. There is now a flat ground in the place of the historical church.
Sports: Armenian boxer renounces champion belt
News.am, Armenia
Jan 27 2021
Armenian boxer Karen Chukhajyan, who represents Ukraine, has renounced the WBA International champion belt in the semi-middleweight professional boxing category.
“We renounced the belt. In the beginning, we wanted to defend the title, but we faced hepatitis and then the coronavirus. In addition, we split from Sparta Boxing Promotions, and at that moment, there was no other person to organize the duel. This is why we decided to renounce the belt,” XSPORT cites Karen Chukhajyan.
On February 1, 2020, Chukhajyan had defeated Russian boxer Sergey Vorobyov and scored the vacant WBA International belt.
8 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Artsakh in past 24 hours
11:40,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 28, ARMENPRESS. 8 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Artsakh in the past 24 hours.
54 tests were conducted on January 27, the ministry of healthcare told Armenpress.
A total of 2318 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Artsakh.
The number of active cases is 29.
The death toll stands at 31.
The ministry of healthcare has again urged the citizens to follow all the rules to avoid new outbreaks and overcome the disease.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Hye Hopes Officially Launches Remote Learning in Syunik Region
January 26, 2020
KAPAN, Armenia—Hye Hopes officially launched their remote learning program in the Kapan region of Armenia on January 18. After three months of planning and fundraising, the Hye Hopes team is now in Armenia and on the ground. Administrators and officials of School N1 and N3 of the Kapan region welcomed the Hye Hopes team and thanked them for their efforts to bring remote learning to the displaced students of Artsakh.
With 17 international volunteer teachers, four teacher aids from Armenia, and 48 students working together virtually, Hye Hopes launched their remote learning instruction programs. Students and their families are enthusiastic and grateful for the opportunity to participate in this unique learning opportunity. Currently, classes range from Math, English, Science, Physics, Art, and Coding. Classes are taught virtually by volunteer instructors from around the world via laptops, which have been generously donated by individuals and organizations from throughout the Armenian Diaspora. “It’s important for Armenians around the world to come together for our kids,” said founder Greg Krikorian.
Hye Hope’s goal is to expand the program to provide remote learning opportunities to more displaced students and provide each student with a laptop to work independently while adhering to health and safety guidelines. The students are excited to use this technology and the teachers are excited for this opportunity. Hye Hopes is building a bridge in learning and educational resources between Armenia and its diaspora. More funds are needed to improve conditions in the classrooms for the displaced students. To donate or for more information on volunteering as a teacher please visit the Hye Hopes website. Let’s build the future together as one!