Author: Badalian Vardan

Russian, Azerbaijani top diplomats address implementation of Nagorno-Karabakh agreements

Badalian Vardan
TASS, Russia
June 23 2021
The top diplomats also touched upon topical issues regarding bilateral relations, regional and international agendas

MOSCOW, June 23. / TASS /. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed on Wednesday over the phone with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov the implementation of the agreements reached by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, including on ironing out Nagorno-Karabakh’s humanitarian problems.

The top diplomats touched upon topical issues regarding bilateral relations, regional and international agendas. “A number of topics were discussed amid the implementation of the agreements between the Russian, Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders, concluded on November 9, 2020, and January 11, 2021, in particular, on solving Nagorno-Karabakh’s humanitarian problems. The sides emphasized an important contribution made by the Trilateral Working Group under the joint chairmanship of the Russian, Azerbaijani, and Armenian deputy prime ministers to the region’s post-conflict development,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stated.

Lavrov and Bayramov were glad to note that despite the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, multifaceted Russian-Azerbaijani relations were successfully developing while trade and economic interaction was growing. “This is largely facilitated by the implementation of decisions made during the 19th meeting of the Russian-Azerbaijani intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation as well as the agreements reached during Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov’s official visit to Russia,” the Foreign Ministry stated.

The sides also agreed on further contacts between the foreign ministries.

Armenia to drop ‘cognac’ use for its products by 2043 — Acting Deputy PM

Badalian Vardan
TASS, Russia
June 17 2021
Armenian producers are proactively discussing new names to substitute for the word
© Yelena Nagornykh/TASS

YEREVAN, June 17. /TASS/. Armenian producers will abandon using the word ‘cognac’ from 2043 within the framework of the enhanced partnership agreement between the EU and Armenia, and are discussing a new name so as not to lose its market, Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mger Grigoryan told TASS on Thursday.

“The Enhanced Partnership Agreement between Armenia and the European Union signed in 2017 stipulates abandoning the use of the word ‘cognac’ word when exporting brandy products in the context of protecting geographic names of the EU. Accordingly, Armenian producers will implement an appropriate marketing strategy and the government will help and assist them in this regard,” the official said.

The requirement to drop the ‘cognac’ name in the agreement is dictated by the fact that the term is a protected geographic name. The EU will allocate financial aid of 3 mln euros under the Agreement.

Use of the ‘cognac’ name will be prohibited for the domestic market of Armenia since 2032, Grigoryan noted.

Armenian producers are proactively discussing new names to substitute for the word ‘cognac’. “I am not ready to disclose such details so far because major market players have no consensus so far. Concepts are in place, an information support program is under development but discussions and debate on these issues continue so far,” the official added.

“Armenian brandy exports totaled about $500 mln over the last three calendar years, of which about 79% went to Russia,” Grigoryan said.

Russia records over 14,000 COVID-19 cases in past 24 hours

Badalian Vardan

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 14:16,

YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. Russia has documented 14,057 cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall case count to 5,264,047, TASS reports citing the federal anti-coronavirus crisis center.

The relative daily increase rate has reached 0.27%.

Moscow has documented 6,195 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. The overall number of cases in the Russian capital has reached 1,260,089.

Russia has documented 416 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, compared to 396 the day before. This is the highest daily death toll since March 23. Since the start of the pandemic, 127,992 people have died from COVID-19 in Russia.

Russia has documented 11,205 recoveries from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall recovery count to 4,839,705, the federal anti-coronavirus crisis center informed reporters on Thursday.

Armenian President congratulates Xi Jinping on 100th anniversary of foundation of Chinese Communist party

Badalian Vardan

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 12:12,

YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian has sent a congratulatory letter to President of China, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping, on the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Party, the Armenian President’s Office told Armenpress.

“Armenia attaches importance to the further development of friendly relations with China. I am confident that the Armenian-Chinese mutually beneficial cooperation will continue strengthening and deepening for the benefit of our countries and nations. Highly valuing the effective reforms being carried out in China by the Communist Party’s and your leadership, I wish you new achievements, and to the good people of China – welfare and peace”, the Armenian President said in his letter.

President Sarkissian also congratulated Xi Jinping on the occasion of his birthday, wishing all the best.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenia election campaign: Day 5

Badalian Vardan

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 09:00,

YEREVAN, JUNE 11, ARMENPRESS. The electoral campaign for the June 20 snap parliamentary elections officially launched in Armenia on June 7.

The campaign will last until June 18.

25 political forces – 21 parties and 4 blocs, are participating in the elections.

ARMENPRESS presents the schedule of the visits of the political forces on the 5th day of the campaign.

 

Bright Armenia party led by Chairman Edmon Marukyan

-Yerevan, in front of Isahakyan statue at 11:00

 

Sovereign Armenia party

Visit to Aragatsotn and Shirak provinces

-Talin, Arteni, Maralik, Artik and Gyumri

 

“5165 national conservative movement” party

Visit to Gegharkunik province

-Martuni, Gavar

 

Civil Contract party led by caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan

Visit to Tavush province

-Dilijan (10:30)

-Berd, Berdavan, Noyemberyan, Achajur and Ijevan

 

Free Fatherland bloc

Visit to Lori province

-Tashir (12:00), Stepanavan, Alaverdi

-Bloc member Arshak Sadoyan will give press conference at 20:00

“Armenia” bloc led by 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan

Visit to Kotayk province

-Yeghvard (11:00)

-Nor Hachn, Abovyan and Charentsavan

-Erebuni administrative district of Yerevan (19:00)

 

Armenian National Congress party

-Political tour at 20:00 starting from Saryak park, Yerevan

 

“Zartonk” party

-Kentron administrative district, Yerevan (09:00)

 

“Our Home Is Armenia” party

-Campaign will start outside the National Academy of Sciences at 13:00

 

European Party of Armenia

-Press conference by MP candidate Tigran Khzmalyan

Nikol Pashinyan congratulates Boris Johnson on Queen’s Birthday

Badalian Vardan

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 13:10,

YEREVAN, JUNE 12, ARMENPRESS. Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has sent a congratulatory message to Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Boris Johnson on the occasion of Queen’s Birthday. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, the message runs as follows,

“Excellency,

I warmly congratulate you and the friendly people of the United Kingdom on the occasion of Queen’s Birthday.

Armenia is keen to develop and further strengthen its friendly ties with the United Kingdom and expand cooperation in all areas of mutual interest.

I am hopeful that through joint efforts we will be able to reinvigorate the Armenian-British interaction to the benefit of our two countries and for the welfare of the two nations.

I wish Your Excellency robust health and fruitful activity, as well as progress and prosperity – to the friendly people of the United Kingdom,” the congratulatory message reads.

Tigran Abrahamyan: Many do not even realize how deep created trap is

Badalian Vardan
Panorama, Armenia

Armenian military expert Tigran Abrahamyan, the head of the analytical center Henaket and the I’m Honored bloc’s MP candidate, called for creation of a new security system in Syunik Province amid the existing threats.

“There is a lot of talk about the safety of Stepanakert-Goris road and the establishment of appropriate mechanisms, but I think that the issue of the safety of Goris-Kapan-Chakaten-Shikaogh-Meghri roadway in Syunik is no less important,” he wrote on Facebook on Friday.

“Many do not even realize how deep the created trap is, since incidents are rarely recorded in this area in the post-war period.

“However, as a result of the “verbal agreement”, a part of this road is under Azerbaijani control, while Azerbaijan has the opportunity to ensure control on a larger part of it at any moment.

“It is necessary to create a new security system in Syunik, the current measures help resolve solely temporary and situational issues, whereas serious security guarantees are not provided,” the expert said.

Swedish Bombardier Executive Charged For Azerbaijan Bribery

Badalian Vardan



A Bombardier-produced train (Photo by Bengt from wikimedia)

A former manager at the Swedish branch of Bombardier Transportation, a major engineering company, was indicted  Wednesday on charges of aggravated bribery in what is one of Sweden’s biggest ever corruption scandals, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project reported Wednesday.

Thomas Bimer, a former business area manager at Bombardier in Sweden, will now face trial for his role in the allegedly corrupt tender that Bombardier won in Azerbaijan in 2013.
Prosecutors argue the $350 million contract to install signaling systems for a section of Azeri railway involved Bombardier paying a $100 million bribe to at least one mid-ranking railway executive.

“[Bimer] was the head of the department in charge of this project. We believe that he was aware that Bombardier colluded with the customer in Azerbaijan,” Prosecutor Staffan Edlund, of the National Anti-Corruption Unit, told OCCRP.

The allegedly bribed Azeri railway executive also represented a local business, Trans-Signal-Rabita (TSR), which won the tender together with the Swedish company. TSR and Bombardier Sweden rigged the tender so that Bombardier Sweden would win it, according to the indictment now being filed in the Stockholm District Court.

Both Mr Bimer and Bombardier deny any wrongdoing, as does the Azeri railway executive, says the prosecutor, although Swedish investigators have not been able to question the latter.
Furthermore, it is likely that there were other employees at the railway authority in Azerbaijan who received a cut of the payments.

The prosecutor notes that Swedish Bombardier’s former CEO was previously also suspected of bribery, along with several others, yet the insufficiency of evidence means there is not enough to prove any guilt in his case.

Bombardier Sweden has since been sold to the French company Alstom, but it still risks being excluded from any future World Bank-financed projects. The financial institution has reportedly not made any final decisions.

Armenia, Georgia resume railway communication

Badalian Vardan

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 13:10, 7 June, 2021

YEREVAN, JUNE 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Georgia resume the railway communication which has been suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, Georgia’s Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Natela Turnava said, reports TASS.

On June 15 the first train from Yerevan will depart for Batumi.

“I would like to inform that the railway communication between Armenia and Georgia has been restored. On June 15 the first train will depart from Yerevan to Batumi, passing through Tbilisi. This means that tourists from our allied, neighboring country will visit Georgia, our seaside resorts, our capital and other tourism sites”, she said.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Turkish press: Turkish contractors aim to rebuild Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh

Badalian Vardan
 ANKARA – ISTANBUL ECONOMY 
MAY 31, 2021 3:52 PM GMT+3
Turkish Trade Minister Mehmet Muş (right) attends the Turkey-Azerbaijan Investment Forum held online, Ankara, Turkey, May 31, 2021. (Turkish Trade Ministry via AA)

Turkish contractors hope to play a key role in the rebuilding of Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region, which was recently reclaimed after nearly three decades of Armenian occupation, Turkey’s Trade Minister Mehmet Muş said Monday.

Turkey’s contractors have undertaken projects around the world, and in Azerbaijan in particular they have completed nearly 450 projects worth $15 billion (TL 127.12 billion), Muş said during the virtual Turkey-Azerbaijan Investment Forum organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK).

The Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory and was occupied by Armenia in 1991, was liberated by Azerbaijan in November as part of a Russia-brokered truce following a 44-day war.

Underlining the importance of bilateral trade, Muş said Turkey and Azerbaijan aim to reach a trade volume of $15 billion.

He said Turkey and Azerbaijan’s trade rose by 5% in 2020 on an annual basis to $4.6 billion, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Trade increased in the first four months of 2021 and the trend is expected to continue throughout the year, he added.

Muş said that studies are ongoing to expand the scope of a preferential trade agreement that came into effect on March 1.

He shared that Turkey’s investments in Azerbaijan amounted to $12 billion, while Azerbaijan’s in Turkey totaled $19.5 billion.

Azerbaijan ranked 28th among 190 countries in the Doing Business Index by the World Bank, the minister said.

Mikayil Jabbarov, Azerbaijan’s economy minister, said the “constructive” meeting will strengthen the bond of the Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood.

“The friendship and brotherhood between Turkey and Azerbaijan are at a peak today,” he said, adding that more companies investing in each other’s countries would have a stronger impact on bilateral trade.

Jabbarov said Turkey and Azerbaijan will continue to support each other with the “one nation, two states” motto.

Nail Olpak, the president of DEIK, highlighted Azerbaijan’s new investment opportunities in the aftermath of the victory in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“We have talked with Azerbaijan about joint projects in third countries as well,” Olpak said, listing nations like Georgia and Pakistan.

He said the potential investment areas included health, health tourism, agriculture, defense, infrastructure, mining and medicine.

Yusif Abdullayev, the acting president at the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation, said the forum will be important for Azerbaijan, Turkish investors and companies.

He said an investment roadshow was planned for the beginning of 2020 but was postponed due to COVID-19. “We will present all investment developments that took place in Azerbaijan in recent years to Turkish investors.”