Author: Bedik Zaminian

Yerevan police officer injured while responding to YSU explosion

Bedik Zaminian

 11:51,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. One of the three victims who are hospitalized after the explosion in Yerevan State University (YSU) on Friday is a police officer who was responding to the incident, police said in a statement. The officer is being treated for smoke inhalation.

1 administrative employee of YSU was killed in the blast. The YSU earlier said that the other victims are also YSU administrative employees.

Police said emergency personnel and hazmat teams responded to the explosion call at 09:37, November 17.

The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation.

The blast happened in the basement room of the chemistry faculty of YSU. The room serves as a pumping station and a locker room for employees, police said. The adjacent room is the storage of chemical materials, which was not damaged. Chemists inspected the area as a precaution and no hazardous gases were detected in the air, police said.

Responding emergency crews included firefighters, rescuers, paramedics and hazmat specialists.

The fire was put out at 10:23.

The YSU spokesperson, Knar Misakyan, said that the fire and subsequent explosion were apparently caused by voltage fluctuations. She said that the fire was not caused by chemical materials stored in the Chemistry Faculty and that all materials are undamaged and in place.

Health authorities said one of the three hospitalized victims is in critical condition.

[see video]

Bulgarian Nuclear Society President: Nuclear Energy Sector in Good Condition, Many Countries Strive to Achieve What Bulgaria Has

Bedik Zaminian

 17:17, 9 November 2023

SOFIA, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS/BTA. Bulgarian Nuclear Society (BNS) President Mladen Mitev Thursday told BTA that the Bulgarian nuclear energy sector is in a good condition and many countries strive to achieve what this country has had for years now. "We need to develop it because nuclear energy has no alternative since it is part of the low carbon electricity sources strategy", he added.

Mitev was speaking during an annual BNS conference themed "Nuclear Energy for the People" held in Veliko Tarnovo on November 8-11. During the forum, members of the BNS from various fields of application of nuclear energy discussed the sector’s future and ways to attract staff.

"Sooner or later, every government in the last 20 years has come to the conclusion that it cannot do without nuclear energy, and Bulgaria has had a strong focus in this direction in the last seven years," Mitev said. He stressed that what is currently at the forefront is a strategy for attracting staff, because "it is clear what needs to be done, but the question is who will do it".

"In the next five years, 700 experts in the industry will retire. Some 130 people leave the nuclear power industry every year," Iskren Tsvetkov of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) said. He added that their replacement takes a long time because a nuclear unit operator needs at least 18 months of specialized training at the Kozloduy NPP.  Tsvetkov added that 3,700 people work in the plant at present. “It is one of the largest employers in the country, providing scholarships and good starting salaries for young specialists,” he said.

The experts noted that over 30 countries across the world develop nuclear energy. Some 440 nuclear reactors are currently in operation, another 50 to 60 are being built. The participants concurred that Bulgaria needs four 1,000-megawatt reactors, as laid down in a 2050 strategic development plan. This will enable this country to maintain its energy independence and respond adequately to climate change.

(This information is being published according to an agreement between Armenpress and BTA.)




Lemkin Institute issues Red Flag Alert for Azerbaijan in Armenia

Bedik Zaminian
Panorama, Armenia
Nov 1 2023

The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention is issuing a Red Flag Alert for Azerbaijan in Armenia, due to the alarming potential for an invasion of Armenia by Azerbaijan in the coming days and weeks.

"Azerbaijan has long coveted Armenia’s southern Syunik Province, which has been discussed in the recent past as the site of an Azerbaijani-controlled “Zangezur Corridor” to Nakhichevan. Considering recent political developments in the region—including the Azerbaijani invasion of Artsakh on September 19, 2023 and the ensuing seizure of the territory—and well-established genocidal Armenophobia endemic in Türkiye and Azerbaijan, an Azerbaijani invasion runs a dangerously high risk of devolving into genocide. We remind the world that genocide is not only expressed through mass murder. As was the case during the recent seizure of Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh in September of 2023, genocide can also be expressed through a pattern of massacre, atrocity, and forced displacement from indigenous territory when the ideology behind these actions is aimed at destroying an identity in whole or in part," it said in a statement on Wednesday.

"To avoid a catastrophic invasion of Armenia by Azerbaijan, which would considerably threaten the peace and stability in the region for decades to come, it is imperative that Armenia and its allies do everything in their power to ensure that an invasion is unpalatable to Azerbaijan. Western powers, which have encouraged Armenia to distance itself from the Russian Federation (the state that has traditionally protected Armenia from Turkish and Azerbaijani aggression and expansionism—whom critics allege failed to defend Armenia from invasion as a member of the CSTO), must not fail to act while another genocide has begun brewing in the South Caucasus. Granting such a level of impunity to the genocidal atrocities committed by the Azerbaijani government and enabled by the Turkish state will only embolden them to continue their destabilizing agenda of aggression and expansionism in the South Caucasus, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

"Accordingly Western powers need to help Armenia strengthen its sovereign borders and its diplomatic position in the region. They can do this by insisting on Armenian control of any corridor running through its territory. They can further assist Armenia in securing its sovereignty by forcing Azerbaijan to withdraw its army from the border regions, by imposing sanctions on the Aliyev family, and by suspending Azerbaijan’s current visa and energy agreements with the EU, as suggested by a European Parliament resolution on October 5. France’s decision to increase weapons sales to Armenia could be helpful, but only if there is coordinated action and material support in the event of an invasion by Azerbaijan. The United States, for its part, can enforce Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act (1992), which excludes Azerbaijan from participation in economic programs created by the act. Section 907 has been waived by US presidents each year since 2002 but, given that Aliyev has proven to be a brutal genocidaire, the waivers must come to a permanent end.

"If the Western world continues to ignore genocide and effectively embrace it as a legitimate solution to intractable conflicts created and perpetuated by regimes like Azerbaijan, it will not only declare an end to the rules-based order of the post-Holocaust world; it will usher in an age of genocide as (if not more) destructive than the one that characterized the last mad rush for control of territory and resources across the globe," the Lemkin Institute said.

”Teryan" Cultural Center presents traditional Armenian costumes at the UN Office in Vienna

Bedik Zaminian

 17:42, 24 October 2023

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, ARMENPRESS. A one-week exhibition featuring traditional Armenian costumes and carpets from the "Teryan" Cultural Center, entitled "Future of the Past: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs through Supporting the Revival of Traditional Art of Armenia," took place at the UN office in Vienna.
Armenia's Permanent Representative to the OSCE, Ambassador Armen Papikyan delivered opening remarks.
In his address, the ambassador highlighted the unique significance of Armenian traditional costumes and carpets in the rich Armenian cultural heritage. 
Referring to the goal of the exhibition to encourage the expansion of women's employment opportunities, the Ambassador praised the activity of "Teryan'' Cultural Center as an example of a successful combination of art, handcraft traditions and entrepreneurship.
Ambassador Papikyan also addressed the issue of ethnic cleansing perpetrated by Azerbaijan against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, highlighting the role of national culture as a symbol of the Armenian people's resilience against all the difficulties.




Bishop of Nazianzos at the Ecumenical gathering organized at St Vartan Armenian Cathedral in NY

Bedik Zaminian
Oct 26 2023
Oct 26, 2023 | 16:30

 

in Archdiocese of America

 

On Tuesday, October 17, 2023, Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos represented Archbishop Elpidophoros of America at the Ecumenical gathering organized at Saint Vartan Armenian Cathedral, in New York City, in honor of the newly consecrated primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church (Eastern), Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan. On October 8, 2023, he was consecrated as a bishop by the hand of Catholicos Karekin II, at Holy Etchmiadzin.

Bishop Athenagoras participated in the encounter with other ecumenical hierarchs and clergymen from the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Catholic Archdiocese of New York, and the Episcopal Church of New York. He was also accompanied by Rev. Protopresbyter Nicolas Kazarian, director of the Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical and Inter-faith Department.

https://orthodoxtimes.com/bishop-of-nazianzos-at-the-ecumenical-gathering-organized-at-st-vartan-armenian-cathedral-in-ny/

Prime Minister Pashinyan holds meeting with Hungarian Foreign Minister

Bedik Zaminian

 15:53,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó in Yerevan.

PM Pashinyan welcomed FM Szijjártó’s visit to Armenia and attached importance to the continuity of the Armenian-Hungarian dialogue and its consistent development in various directions, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a readout.

The Armenian Prime Minister attached importance to steps aimed at promoting partnership in the economy, education, culture, air connection and other areas.

Péter Szijjártó thanked for the warm reception and stressed the positive dynamics recorded in bilateral relations and the importance of high-level mutual visits between Armenia and Hungary. Péter Szijjártó added that the Hungarian government intends to open a consulate in Yerevan, which will in turn contribute to the expansion of the Armenian-Hungarian relations.

PM Nikol Pashinyan discussed the forced displacement of over 100,000 Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of the Azerbaijani policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, the current humanitarian situation and the steps taken by the government of Armenia in the direction of resolving existing issues.

Other issues pertaining to the Armenia-EU relations and regional cooperation were also discussed at the meeting.

Armenia’s Silicon Valley seeks Indian partnership

Bedik Zaminian
The Economic Times, India
Oct 27 2023
SECTIONS

By 

Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury

, ET Bureau

  YEREVAN (Armenia): Armenia's IT industry has been experiencing tremendous
growth and development and local startups including firms dealing with
ArtificialIntelligence are seeking active partnerships with Indian counterparts
and open chapters in South Asia’s biggest market. 
Armenia has emerged as an attractive destination for technology companies and
startups, thanks to its favorable business environment, skilled workforce and
supportive government initiatives, local industry experts told ET. 
Armenia is home to some of the most industry disrupting startups in the medical crypto, AI, and design fields. With a
large pool of tech talent and a history of noteworthy astrophysicists and chess grandmasters, it is no surprise that there
are so many successful innovative tech startups. 
With a strong connection with the Silicon Valley through the strong Armenian diaspora, the Armenian IT industry is
building connections with India’s Silicon Valley in Bangalore, besides Hyderabad and Delhi-NCR region. 
Dr Yervant Zorian, an Armenian by birth and Chief Architect of Synopsys that designs chips, told ET that Synopsys has a
sizable presence in India including Bangalore and Noida. Zorian has been a frequent traveler across Indian cities. 
Dr Zorian recalled that Armenian success in the IT industry and solutions had its genesis during the Soviet period and
could have been described as the Soviet Union’s Silicon Valley. Later post-independence Armenian diaspora in the Silicon Valley in the USA was quick to set up connections in Armenia establishing chapters here. 
Synopsys Armenia provides R&D and product support for electronic design automation, design for manufacturing, and
semiconductor intellectual property solutions.
“Can machine learning solve the issue of background noise?” 
This question is what led Davit Baghdasaryan to quit Twillo
and partner up with Arto to start Krisp in 2017 to enable people to be more effective communicators in online calls.
Krisp is an AI startup that removes background noise from conference calls. 
It’s based in Armenia and has created a one of-a-kind noise cancelling app. It has attracted attention from the tech world for its innovation, recording significant
success and growth in a very short time
Krisp provides Noise Cancellation, Voice Cancellation, Echo Cancellation, and more to individuals and businesses,
helping them to be heard clearer during online meetings in an increasingly remote world. 
With just a press of a button, millions of people around the world can now enjoy calls, crystal clear.
Krisp is keen to expand its presence in India from currently one staff and is in talks with other partners including in the
Space Tech sector, Davit told ET. 
Armenia is soon launching its first satellite. Earlier this year when the Armenian NSA
visited New Delhi he sought India’s support in the space sector.
Besides AI based solutions and IT industry, Armenia has an emerging Venture Capitalist ecosystem. 
SmartGate VC is one
such firm. 
Ashot Arzumanyan, a partner in SmartGate VC explained how they are funding various ventures including
Krisp and seeking to explore the Indian market.
With more capital flowing into Armenia, more and more startups are reaching success. Armenia is no longer just an
outsourcing hotspot but a center of innovation in the global market. 
There are many top name companies that have
branches in Armenia but more and more entrepreneurs are opening their own startups to provide solutions for their
respective markets.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/armenias-silicon-valley-seeks-indian-partnership/articleshow/104742975.cms
  

Armenia To Bolster Air Defenses with French Radar and Mistral MANPADS

Bedik Zaminian
Oct 25 2023
 

By MATTHEW MOSS

During a visit to Paris this week, Armenia’s Defense Minister Suren Papikyan met with French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu. During meetings a contract for the procurement of three Thales Ground Master 200 medium range radar systems was signed. the GM200 has a 160 mile range and is based on a AESA 3D radar. Additionally, Papikyan also signed a letter of intent to procure an undisclosed number of MBDA Mistral MANPADS which will supplement the Russian-manufactured Igla and Verba MANPADS currently in Armenian service.

In the wake of continued tensions with Azerbaijan, following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War and the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive that saw the collapse of the Republic of Artsakh, Armenia is looking to modernise its military. During a press conference in Paris, Defense Minister Lecornu said “the protection of the sky is something that’s absolutely key” and said that France would help Armenia train ground defence forces and support modernization efforts. “We stand by our defence relationship [with Armenia], even though we’re not part of the same military and political alliances. It is based on the simple principle that you need to be able to defend yourself,” Lecornu concluded.

In a statement published by the French Ministry of Defense about the Franco-Armenian meetings, the potential for French training of Armenian troops was further outlined:

“In the field of infantry, Sébastien Lecornu raised the possibility of triggering operational training missions on Armenian soil in three departments: dismounted combat, mountain combat and precision shooting. At the same time, Paris is proposing the opening of a military advisor position to best support the Armenian army in its operational strengthening.”

At the beginning of October, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev condemned French support for Armenia suggesting that it “was not serving peace”. During Papikyan’s visit to Paris he has also met with the Chairman of France’s Commission on National Defence and Armed Forces of the National Assembly Thomas Gassilloud to discuss bilateral defence cooperation and regional security. The Armenian delegation also met with members of the French Senate who reiterated their support for cooperation with Armenia.

https://www.overtdefense.com/2023/10/24/armenia-to-bolster-air-defenses-with-french-radar-and-mistral-manpads/

Armenia tests newly supplied weaponry, results are ‘very satisfactory’, says senior MP

Bedik Zaminian

 12:33,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS. New weapons brought to Armenia are currently being tested by the Armenian military and the results are ‘very satisfactory’, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security Affairs Andranik Kocharyan told reporters. He did not disclose where the weapons are being brought from.

“Our news media, our people are discussing all day long what weapons were brought, from what country, where it was tested. The relevant division of the defense ministry is also testing these weaponry, and the tests are very satisfactory. The list of the countries is that which is being discussed, perhaps a bit more or less. That’s not what matters, what matters is that the work in that direction is proceeding successfully,” Kocharyan said.