Author: Ani Tigranian

U.S. reiterates support to Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, readiness to host talks

Ani Tigranian

 09:41,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 23, ARMENPRESS: The United States is interested in ‘getting across the finish line’ and ‘has the same appetite’ for hosting Armenian-Azeri talks in Washington, a State Department spokesperson has said.

“This is something that the United States and that the Secretary is interested in and this is something that we’re going to work very hard to get across the finish line in close coordination with Armenia and Azerbaijan and the others who are working on this issue, including [Senior Adviser for Caucasus Negotiations] Coordinator [Louis] Bono,” State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a press briefing.

Patel declined to give updates on possible Armenian-Azeri foreign ministerial talks in Washington.  

In early December 2023 the U.S. invited Yerevan and Baku to hold talks in Washington. Armenia the offer but the meeting has yet to take place.

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1128626.html?fbclid=IwAR0_WUk9A_x5t2rjbPLZ7j4ZiUYJ-vIVkDyas7jXVKVUOt8MCen7o_L2Myk

Any violation of Armenia’s territorial integrity will have serious consequences for our relations with Baku: Borrell

Ani Tigranian

 21:49,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 22, ARMENPRESS.  The meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union (EU) has concluded in Brussels.

Among various topics, the meeting also addressed issues related to Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

According to the Armenpress Brussels correspondent, at the end of the session, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, stated at the press conference that EU member states agree with the idea that Azerbaijan should engage in substantive peace and relationship settlement negotiations with Armenia.

“President Aliyev's recent territorial demands are very concerning. Any violation of Armenia's territorial integrity will be unacceptable and will have serious consequences for our relations with Azerbaijan," Josep Borrell said.

Lilit Gasparyan




Armenia and EU committed to strengthening partnership: 13th Human Rights Dialogue held in Yerevan

Ani Tigranian

 12:58,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. On 18 January, the European Union and Armenia held their 13th Human Rights Dialogue in Yerevan.

“Armenia and the EU are committed to strengthening their partnership, advancing the human rights agenda, delivering tangible benefits to their citizens and building more inclusive societies,” the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia said in a press release.

This year’s dialogue focused on a wide range of topics, including gender equality and non-discrimination, freedom of assembly, freedom of _expression_ and information, electoral and constitutional reform, the rights of refugees, as well as strengthening labour rights. 

“The EU congratulated Armenia on positive developments related to human rights since the last Human Rights Dialogue in November 2022, despite the complex humanitarian challenges and the difficult security context. An important milestone was the adoption of the National Human Rights Action Plan (HRAP) 2023-2025. The participants exchanged views on the ongoing work on a new draft Armenian Gender Strategy and the draft equality law. The EU welcomed the efforts made to strengthen the rights of the child and the labour inspection system. Armenia also updated the EU on its constitutional review process and the next steps, and on further plans to improve the electoral system. 

“Commending Armenia for positive developments, the EU noted that the human rights situation in the country should further be improved, for instance regarding detention conditions, discrimination against persons with disabilities, violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, domestic violence and hate speech. Participants also discussed human rights in the law enforcement bodies and armed forces.

“The EU and Armenia discussed cooperation on issues related to human rights and fundamental freedoms in multilateral fora, such as the United Nations, the OSCE and the Council of Europe, and committed to strengthening this collaboration. The EU welcomed i.a. the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the ratification of Protocol N. 13 to the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances. The EU pledged to support capacity building on ICC rules and procedures within relevant government agencies of Armenia.

“Armenia informed the EU about the humanitarian and human rights impact of Azerbaijan’s large scale military offensive in Nagorno Karabakh in September 2023 and the subsequent forced displacement. In this regard the Parties reiterated their previously stated positions. Armenia stressed the importance of prompt implementation of the legally binding decisions of the International Court of Justice to this end. Participants discussed the efforts to address the immediate needs of over 100.000 refugees and facilitate their socio-economic inclusion, which in mid-term perspective requires significant assistance. The EU recalled the EUR 12.2 million humanitarian assistance and EUR 15 million budget support it provided, and committed to continue supporting Armenia’s long-term socio-economic resilience, including through financial and technical assistance on key areas of human rights.

“The Armenian delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan. The EU delegation was headed by Dorota Dlouchy-Suliga, Head of Division in the European External Action Service.  The Human Rights Defender of Armenia Anahit Manasyan also participated in the dialogue,” reads the press release.




Armenia greenlights controversial Amulsar gold mine

Ani Tigranian
Jan 19 2024
 

ByArshaluys Barseghyan

Operation of the contested Amulsar goldmine has been greenlit after Armenia’s government accepted a 12.5% share in the mines on Thursday. 

The agreed project also notes that the Ministry of Economy will manage the share once the mines are operational.

The share was agreed upon when Lydian Armenia, the company operating the mines, Armenia’s Economy Ministry, and the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) signed a memorandum of understanding in February 2023.

The government’s decision to accept the share from the company effectively greenlit the mines’ operation, despite years of protests by eco-activists and residents of communities adjacent to the mine.

At the time of the memorandum’s signing, EDB agreed to extend a loan of $100 million to Lydian Armenia for the construction and operation of the mines ‘in compliance with the best international mining practices and strict adherence to the applicable legislation of the Republic of Armenia, by promoting the local market and employment in affected communities’.

Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan praised the project, stating that he predicted the mines would contribute to increasing Armenia’s GDP by about 1%.

‘We have no right to refuse such an opportunity’, said Kerobyan. 

‘This model dispels our concerns’

In Thursday’s government session, Ani Ispiryan, the Deputy Minister of Economy, announced that Lydian Armenia will invest $250 million in the operation of the mine.

Ispiryan announced that the mining company would annually pay an extra $7 million to local communities near the mine in addition to allocating environmental protection projects funded by environmental taxes. 

During the cabinet session, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the government greenlit the mines’ operation after receiving answers to their inquiries.

‘It is commendable that, following one example, the investors wanted the people, in the form of the government, to participate and share in that project’, he said, referring to Geopromining’s offer of 15% of the Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine to the government in 2021.

‘The operation of the Amulsar gold mine with this model dispels our concerns and will be an additional stimulus for economic growth,’ said Pashinyan. 

Lydian Armenia told RFE/RL that the decision to grant shares in the company to the government was made by its shareholders.

‘And in the case of long-term and large-scale projects like the Amulsar project, such cooperation allows sharing both success and responsibility’, the company stated.

A month before the government’s approval, The Guardians of Amulsar, a group of activists opposing the operation of the mine, sent an open letter to the EDB board, saying that residents of the town of Jermuk and their supporters were committed to protecting Amulsar mountain from development, and warning that support for the project was ‘an adventure and doomed to failure’.

‘Amulsar is a living area for the population of the Jermuk community, and we will not give it up’, read their letter.


"Armenia cannot count on integration with the West without Georgia". Opinion

Ani Tigranian
Jan 17 2024
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Relations between Armenia and Georgia

“The growing influence and power of oligarchic circles in Georgia is a problem for Armenia as well,” Armenian political scientist Areg Kochinyan said, commenting on Bidzina Ivanishvili’s decision to return to politics. He believes that strengthening of democracy in Georgia should be important for Armenia as well, as “without Georgia Armenia cannot count on integration with the West”.

At the request of JAMnews, political scientist Areg Kochinyan and Georgian affairs expert Johnny Melikyan commented on the impact Ivanishvili’s return could have on Armenian-Georgian relations, and the aspirations of both countries to move closer to the EU.

Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is considered the shadow ruler of Georgia, announced on December 30, 2023 that he has decided to return to politics. The founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party is now its honorary chairman and has announced his return to active politics for the third time. This time – on the eve of the 2024 parliamentary elections. “The opposition has collapsed and the overly strong ruling party needs to be kept from human error. I will become the new center of gravity,” the billionaire declared.

  • “Ivanishvili’s decision to return has personal motives, fears and risks” – Georgian political scientist
  • Bidzina Ivanishvili returns to politics in Georgia. What did he say in his first statement?
  • Ivanishvili at No. 8 on world list of “destroyers” – POLITICO’s annual ranking

“What is happening in Georgia. Real, functional power becomes official. The person in whose hands, in fact, the power was concentrated, publicly takes over its realization. This is a more honest approach towards the voters and partners, the international community.

As for the Armenian-Georgian relations, they have reached a certain quality and depth, have a certain layer, which will not change its content regardless of the international conjuncture, quality and form of international relations. Besides, only Georgia and Armenia are democratic countries not only in the South Caucasus, but in the entire region. This is also a fact that cannot be ignored, especially by our Western partners.

Of course, the quality of democracy in Georgia, its depth is very important for us. Active political activity of an oligarch, especially one who has accumulated his wealth in the Russian Federation, who seeks to occupy important positions of power, cannot be considered an achievement of democracy. This is a problem that we must try to work with.

In the work of the West, the main approach will be to rely on Armenia and Georgia at the same time. Therefore, as much as we value and consider important the development of democratic institutions and deepening of democracy in Armenia, we should treat these processes in Georgia as well. Armenia cannot count on integration with the West without Georgia.”

“I link Ivanishvili’s return to the internal political processes taking place in Georgia. The goal is to form or strengthen the ranks of the ruling party.

Moreover, the position [of honorary chairman of Georgian Dream] is not symbolic. After the recent changes, Ivanishvili can also nominate a candidate for prime minister. He has the decisive vote and will continue to be the deciding factor.

I don’t expect any drastic changes in Armenian-Georgian relations. There is a team, a policy that has not changed since 2012. During the rule of the Georgian Dream and after the change of power in Armenia in 2018, relations between the elites of the two countries have become even warmer. The basis for deepening relations are the trends in both countries. These are the strengthening of democracy, human rights, freedom of speech.

Perhaps in 2024-25 we will see the formation of a new, renewed agenda of deepening relations, and the countries will consolidate the level of their relations as strategic – as Georgia’s relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan are. If earlier Armenian officials were talking about this, now the Prime Minister of Georgia is already talking about the establishment of strategic relations with Armenia.”

https://jam-news.net/relations-between-armenia-and-georgia-and-ivanishvilis-comeback/

Karekin II to visit United States and UK

Ani Tigranian

 15:42,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 13, ARMENPRESS. Catholicos Karekin II of the Armenian Apostolic Church will visit the United States and the United Kingdom, the Church said on Saturday.

In a statement, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin said Karekin II has left for “the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church in the U.S., and the Diocese of the Armenian Church in Great Britain and Ireland.”

Karekin II will meet with philanthropists of diocesan organizations and the Armenian Apostolic Church to discuss the church programs.

Customs officers seize $5,374 in undeclared gold, silver items on Turkey, Armenia borders

Ani Tigranian
Agenda, Georgia
Jan 11 2024

Georgian customs officers seized ₾14,429 ($5,374) in undeclared gold and silver items on the Sarpi border crossing with Turkey in Georgia’s south-west and the Sadakhlo Border Crossing Point on the country's southern border with Armenia.

The country’s Revenue Service on Thursday said the items – weighing in at about 326,34 grams – were seized during personal and luggage search of Georgian and foreign citizens.

The body added the offenders were fined ₾14,429 ($5,374) for the offence.

Trump appeals Maine ruling barring him from ballot under the U.S. Constitution’s insurrection clause

Ani Tigranian

 11:43, 3 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 3, ARMENPRESS. Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday appealed a ruling by Maine’s secretary of state barring him from the state’s primary ballot over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, the Associated Press reports.

Trump, the early front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, appealed the Maine decision by Democrat Shenna Bellows, who became the first secretary of state in history to bar someone from running for the presidency under the rarely used Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. That provision prohibits those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office.

The former president is expected to soon appeal a similar ban by the Colorado Supreme Court. That appeal would go to the U.S. Supreme Court, while Bellows’ action is being appealed to a Maine Superior Court.

Trump’s appeal on Tuesday asks that Bellows be required to place him on the March 5 primary ballot. The appeal argues that she abused her discretion and relied on “untrustworthy evidence.”

Violent Assault on Armenian Christians in Jerusalem’s Old City

Ani Tigranian
Dec 28 2023

By: Geeta Pillai

In the heart of the historic Old City of Jerusalem, an unexpected and violent incident unfolded on Thursday afternoon. Over 30 provocateurs, their identities hidden beneath ski masks, launched a brutal assault on the Armenian community. Among the aggressors, some were seen brandishing lethal weapons.

The location of the assault was the tranquil ‘Cows’ Garden’ nestled within the Armenian Quarter of the Old City. This peaceful enclave became the stage for a scene of violence and fear as the group of masked individuals descended upon unsuspecting Armenian clerics and citizens.

Despite the surprise and the overwhelming odds, the Armenian community retaliated bravely. Young and old, laypeople and clerics alike, fought back against their attackers. The struggle continued until the authorities arrived at the scene, bringing the conflict to a halt. In the aftermath, two Armenians were taken into police custody, while several others, including priests, students, and indigenous Armenians, were left nursing serious injuries.

In response to this shocking incident, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem has issued a call to arms. The Patriarchate is urging the international community to step in, and is demanding that the Israeli government launch a thorough investigation into the attack and bring the culprits to justice.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the volatile nature of the Old City of Jerusalem. Despite its rich history and religious significance, the city remains a hotbed of tension and conflict, with the potential for violence never far beneath the surface.

https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/crime/violent-assault-on-armenian-christians-in-jerusalems-old-city/

My Semester of Hai Tahd in Washington, D.C.

Ani Tigranian
 Madeline Bogdjalian Reflections, Youth 0

On March 6, 2023, I was accepted into the College of the Holy Cross Washington, D.C. Semester Program. The program entailed participating in a public policy seminar, writing a thesis and interning at an agency of my choice in Washington during the fall 2023 semester. I knew from the moment I was admitted that I wanted to spend my time in Washington working to advance Hai Tahd at the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in a very large and prominent Armenian community, attending Armenian day school and staying very connected to my culture and heritage while living within the diaspora. One of the first questions people ask me when they find out I attend Holy Cross is why I chose to go to school in Worcester, Massachusetts. The answer for me is always an easy one and one I am proud to talk about. I knew I wanted to attend a liberal arts college on the East Coast, and Holy Cross had much to offer. More importantly, however, moving away from home at 17 years old was intimidating, and I wanted to make the right choice. Worcester is the birthplace of the Armenian-American diaspora, and from the moment I stepped foot in the city, I knew it would be home for the next four years. It is a privilege to be part of the oldest Armenian community in the United States.

Madeline Bogdjalian (bottom left) with the Fall 2023 Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program post-graduate fellows and undergraduate interns at the ANCA Aramian House

As a Worcester “Aram” AYF Chapter member, I have gotten to know so many wonderful Armenians in Worcester and feel at home. Since joining the chapter in my freshman year of college, I have become treasurer and an involved member of the Worcester Armenian community. My involvement in AYF has raised my awareness of the challenges facing our community, both here in the United States and in our homeland. I believe diasporan Armenians have a responsibility to play a role in the Armenian cause however they can.

When I had the opportunity to spend my semester in Washington, I wanted to continue to be an involved member of the Armenian diaspora and push forward Armenian advocacy initiatives in the nation’s capital. From the moment I arrived in Washington, D.C., I knew the next three months would be filled with meaningful advocacy for the Armenian community.

My semester in D.C. took place during a tragic and turbulent time for our homeland and the Armenians of Artsakh. On my second day as an intern at the ANCA, I attended my first-ever congressional commission hearing—the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission emergency hearing—to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh. I remember sitting in the hearing room, surrounded by fellow ANCA team and community members, listening to U.S. representatives and former ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo discuss Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing of Artsakh Armenians. From that day on, every day I spent at the ANCA office focused on Artsakh justice and Armenian advocacy. We attended multiple hearings, posted updates and encouraged members of Congress and presidential candidates to speak up for Artsakh. We used our voices to amplify the Armenian cause in the American political sphere.

Reflecting on my semester in D.C. and my time at the ANCA, I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to work at an exceptional organization. The ANCA does unparalleled work for our community and puts Hai Tahd at the forefront of its goals. The grassroots advocacy power of the Armenian community and consistent work done by the ANCA are inspiring and a testament to the Armenian diaspora’s impact in the political sphere. During my time as a Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Intern, I met with several distinguished politicians, attended congressional committee and commission hearings and even sat in Congress for a historic moment as His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, led the opening prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives. These experiences were truly formative in my understanding of Armenian advocacy and the workings of Washington and made my time in D.C. very special.

Madeline Bogdjalian and fellow Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program fellows and interns join ANCA Programs Director Alex Galitsky in thanking Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) for spearheading the unanimous passage of legislation (S.3000) cutting U.S. aid to Azerbaijan and demanding accountability for the genocidal ethnic cleansing of Artsakh

Spending my semester in D.C. as a Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Intern has been very rewarding. I have been able to contribute to the Armenian cause in the political sphere and tie my undergraduate education with my passion for Armenian advocacy. I wrote my thesis on the Armenian lobby’s influence on United States foreign policy, largely inspired by everything I learned during my internship at the ANCA. My research and thesis would not have been possible without the resources, network and interviews the ANCA provided me.

While in D.C., I worked with fellow Capital Gateway interns in the office and Capital Gateway fellows living in the Aramian House. The community fostered by the program is second to none. They make D.C. feel like home and offer great support, guidance and mentorship. I have made wonderful connections and lifelong friendships through the Capital Gateway Program.

I encourage anyone who can spend a semester in Washington, D.C., to apply to the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program university internship. It is a fantastic way to engage in Armenian advocacy and activism while pursuing an undergraduate education. I cannot speak highly enough about the program and my time working at the ANCA. This has been my favorite semester in my undergraduate education, and I hope to return to Washington and the ANCA as a Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway fellow post-graduation to explore career opportunities and continue advocating for the Armenian cause.

  •  Bio
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Madeline Bogdjalian is an undergraduate student at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, pursuing a degree in political science with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. Madeline's academic interests include law and policy. She was a fall 2023 Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Intern in the ANCA's Washington, D.C. headquarters, a staff writer for the College Street Journal at Holy Cross, a member of the Moot Court team, as well as the treasurer of the Worcester "Aram" AYF Chapter.