Author: Chakrian Hovsep

President of Artsakh signs decree on 2021 winter military draft and demobilization

Chakrian Hovsep

Save

Share

 15:56,

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan has signed on December 11 a decree on conducting 2021 winter military draft and demobilization, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

According to the decree, male citizens of Artsakh to become 18 years old before December 31, who have not used the right to draft deferment or have lost it, will be called up to mandatory military service on January-February 2021.

The demobilization will take place in January 2021.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 11-12-20

Chakrian Hovsep

Save

Share

 17:27,

YEREVAN, 11 DECEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 11 December, USD exchange rate up by 1.85 drams to 520.62 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 3.02 drams to 630.94 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.05 drams to 7.11 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 2.95 drams to 688.00 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 153.06 drams to 30871.32 drams. Silver price down by 1.92 drams to 399.79 drams. Platinum price up by 311.93 drams to 17374.38 drams.

AP: Azerbaijan holds military parade after Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Chakrian Hovsep
PBS
Dec 10 2020
World Dec 10, 2020 12:21 PM EST

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — More than 3,000 troops took part in a military parade in Azerbaijan on Thursday to celebrate reclaiming control over broad swathes of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding lands in a conflict with Armenia.

The parade attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who strongly backed Azerbaijan, also involved dozens of military vehicles, and a flyby of combat aircraft. The display, which also featured a Turkish commando brigade and Turkish drones, was held a month after a Russia-brokered deal ended six weeks of fierce fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev showered Turkey with praise, hailing its support for the ex-Soviet Caspian Sea nation as “an example of our unity, our brotherhood.”

Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but was under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994. That war left Nagorno-Karabakh itself and substantial surrounding territory in Armenian hands.

In 44 days of fighting that began in late September and left more than 5,600 people killed on both sides, the Azerbaijani army pushed deep into Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing Armenia to accept a Russia-brokered peace deal that saw Azerbaijan reclaim much of the separatist region along with surrounding areas.

In his speech, Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s continued support to Azerbaijan, saying that “as long as Turkey and Azerbaijan work hand in glove, they will continue to overcome all difficulties and run from one success to the next.”

Erdogan voiced hope that Armenia would “take lessons” from its defeat and noted that Turkey was ready to reopen the border with Armenia if it takes unspecified “positive steps.”

Turkey and Azerbaijan have shut their borders with Armenia ever since the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict erupted, a blockade that has weakened the economy of the landlocked country.

“As long as positive steps are taken, we would open our gates, which were closed,” Erdogan said. “It’s not that we want to keep our doors closed to Armenia … we have no enmity with the people of Armenia. Our problem is with the Armenian leadership.”

The Nov. 10 peace deal became a major trauma for Armenians, triggering a month of protests calling for the resignation of the country’s prime minister, Nikola Pashinyan. Pashinyan has refused to step down, describing the peace agreement as a bitter but necessary move that prevented Azerbaijan from taking over the entire Nagorno-Karabakh.

As Aliyev and Erdogan watched the parade in Baku, several thousand people in Armenia’s capital demonstrated in front of the government building to push the demand for Pashinyan to resign. Protesters tried to enter the building but were pushed back by police who arrested scores.

Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Avet Demourian in Yerevan, Armenia, and Daria Litvinova and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, contributed to this report.

Also in

​Protesters in Armenia besiege parliament

Chakrian Hovsep
Deniliquin Pastoral Times, Australia
Dec 9 2020
 
 
Protesters in Armenia besiege parliament
By AAP Newswire
 
 
Thousands of protesters have converged on the parliament building in Armenia’s capital to push for the resignation of the country’s prime minister over his handling of the conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
 
Nikol Pashinyan’s opponents are angry at a peace deal that ended six weeks of fighting over the separatist region but allowed Azerbaijan to take over wide areas that have been controlled by Armenian forces for more than 25 years.
 
Armenia’s opposition parties gave Pashinyan an ultimatum to resign by Tuesday but he has ignored the demand, defending the peace deal as a bitter but necessary move that prevented Azerbaijan from overrunning the entire Nagorno-Karabakh region.
 
About 15,000 protesters marched through downtown Yerevan to the parliament building, chanting “Nikol go away!”.
 
The opposition has been pushing for Pashinyan’s resignation since the Russia-brokered peace deal took effect on November 10.
 
Protests have grown over the past days, with demonstrators blocking traffic in various sections of the capital and also rallying in other cities.
 
The Armenian Apostolic Church and all three of the country’s former presidents have joined the demand for Pashinyan to step down.
 
Undeterred, the prime minister told MPs in parliament on Wednesday that the country needs consolidation in the current difficult period.
 
“Voices of different groups mustn’t be mistaken for the people’s voice,” he said.
 
Speaking outside parliament on Wednesday, Artur Vanetsyan, the former head of the National Security Service who leads the Homeland opposition party, argued that Pashinyan should step down to allow opposition forces to “normalise the situation” in the country.
 
“Each day he stays on the job raises a new threat to the nation,” Vanetsyan said.
 
Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.
 
That war left Nagorno-Karabakh itself and substantial surrounding territory in Armenian hands.
 
In 44 days of fighting that began in late September and left more than 5600 people killed on both sides, the Azerbaijani army forged deep into Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing Armenia to accept the peace deal which lets Azerbaijan reclaim much of the separatist region along with surrounding areas.
 
Azerbaijanis have celebrated it as a major victory and the country is set to hold a massive military parade on Thursday – to be attended by visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
 
 
 

Over 1,400 refugees return to Nagorno-Karabakh during past day – Russian defense ministry

Chakrian Hovsep
TASS, Russia
Nov 22 2020
Russian servicemen ensured security when the busses were crossing the contact line

MOSCOW, November 22. /TASS/. More than 1,400 refugees returned from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh during the past day. The convoy of buses and cars with the refugees was escorted by Russian peacekeepers, the Russian defense ministry said on Sunday.

“Thirty-four buses arrived from Yerevan to the main square of the city of Stepanakert. The convoy was escorted by patrols of the Russian peacekeeping contingent and military police. Russian servicemen ensured security when the busses were crossing the contact line. More than 1,400 people returned to their homes,” the ministry said, adding that Russian servicemen were responsible for the safe return of civilians across the contact line.

Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The area experienced flare-ups of violence in the summer of 2014, in April 2016 and this past July.

On November 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh starting from November 10. Under the document, the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides are to maintain the positions that they held and Russian peacekeepers are to be deployed to the region. The Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh basically comprises units of the 15th separate motor rifle (peacekeeping) brigade of the Central Military District.


Russia to deploy additional reserve of border guards on Armenian-Azerbaijani border

Chakrian Hovsep

Save

Share

 21:37,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 20, ARMENPRESS. Russia will deploy an additional reserve of border guards on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, ARMENPRESS reports Director of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation Alexander Bortnikov said during the consultation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

‘’In line with the adopted decision, within the framework of ensuring the border security of the Republic of Armenia, in the sidelines of the measures aimed at ensuring peace in Nagorno Karabakh and at the request of the Armenian side, the Border Service of the Federal Security Service in the Republic of Armenia provided additional 188 servicemen with the necessary equipment.

The border guards will be additionally deployed on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“The Azerbaijani side has been informed of this, the necessary cooperation with partners is organized,” Bortnikov said.

Armenian, Russian Defense Ministers discuss situation in Nagorno Karabakh

Chakrian Hovsep
Public Radio of Armenia
Nov 18 2020

In a phone conversation late on Wednesday Armenian Defense Minister David Tonoyan and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Shoygu discussed the operative situation in Nagorno Karabakh and the current issues related to the activities of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.

The Armenian Defense Minister thanked his Russian counterpart for the quick and effective deployment of the peacekeeping unit, as well as for organizing the search for and exchange of bodies, prisoners, hostages and missing persons.

Special attention was paid to the humanitarian situation in Nagorno Karabakh. The Armenian Defense Minister expressed his support for the establishment of a Russian interdepartmental humanitarian response center in Nagorno Karabakh, which will deal with the return of refugees, the restoration of civilian infrastructure, the search for the dead, captives and missing persons, and the coordination of activities of various humanitarian organizations.

An agreement was reached to sign a trilateral document in this area between the Ministries of Defense of the Russian Federation, Armenia and Azerbaijan if necessary.

World Council of Churches urges UNESCO to protect Artsakh’s sanctuaries

Chakrian Hovsep

World Council of Churches urges UNESCO to protect Artsakh’s sanctuaries

Save

Share

 19:00,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Following the declaration of the Armenian, Russian, Azerbaijani leaders on ending the 6-week intense war, the World Council of Churches organized a video conference from November 9-13 to discuss the situation of the people of Armenia and Artsakh.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the World Council of Churches made the following statement.

”The executive committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC), meeting by video conference on 9-13 November 2020, is gathered at a pivotal and acutely painful moment for the people of the land of Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh and for all Armenian people, following the announcement of an agreement between the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia to bring an end to six weeks of intense armed conflict. We make an appeal for an end to the bloodshed and destruction this conflict has brought.

We join with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, in praying for wisdom, unity and calm. We grieve with all those who have suffered terrible losses not only in the renewed fighting since 27 September, but throughout the long history of the struggle for self-determination in the region, entrenching antagonism more deeply with each precious life lost.

We stand in solidarity with the Armenian communities that are threatened by the renewal of the genocide against their people, particularly in light of the egregious comments made by Turkish President Erdogan vowing to “fulfil this mission, which our grandfathers have carried out for centuries, in the Caucasus region” and in light of Turkey’s role in the current conflict. The WCC condemns any such threats, explicit or implicit, and the actions of those who have insinuated themselves in the conflict and exacerbated its violence, including by supplying internationally-banned weapons, sending mercenaries and jihadists from Syria and elsewhere, and seeking to turn it into a religious conflict. The WCC condemns the use of chemical weapons and cluster munitions, the targeting of civilians, hospitals and public infrastructure, and all other war crimes, beheadings, torture and other atrocities witnessed in the past weeks.

Furthermore, we appeal for respect for the holy sites and cultural heritage of Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh, though the repeated shelling of the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi on 8 October and the numerous reports being received of other more recent desecrations indicate a different reality. We urge UNESCO to take all possible and appropriate measures to protect these sites.

We call urgently upon all members of the international community to join in supporting efforts for the protection of such holy sites, for the return in safety and dignity of all refugees and displaced people, for protection of the Armenian people from the threat of genocide, for a lasting peace founded on justice and human rights for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh and the wider region, and to refrain from instigating or encouraging antagonism, conflict and injustice.

We lift up and accompany the continuing ministry and witness of the churches of the region, and pray that the church leaders may be given strength and wisdom to guide their people through this crisis”.

Armenpress: Ramgavar Party calls on Armenian public to refrain from anti-constitutional actions

Chakrian Hovsep

Ramgavar Party calls on Armenian public to refrain from anti-constitutional actions

Save

Share

 10:09,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar) is calling on the Armenian public to avoid serious political shocks, refrain from the anti-constitutional actions, as well as decisions being adopted under emotional influence.

In a statement the party noted that the signing of a trilateral agreement by Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan on ceasing the military operations between Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and Azerbaijan, as well as the arbitrary geopolitical developments in the region have created a difficult situation in the public and political life of Armenia and Artsakh.

“In mass protests political assessments are being given to the behavior of the current leadership and demand the resignations of the prime minister and his government. Given this, the Ramgavar Party calls on the public to avoid serious political shocks, refrain from anti-constitutional actions and decisions being adopted under emotional influence. We stress the need to very quickly and soberly analyze the current complex military-political situation in our two Republics and urge to immediately engage the remaining OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries – France and the USA, in the process through diplomatic channels, because we believe that Russia, pursuing some interest, has abused its mediation mission, ignoring and violating the interests of Artsakh-Armenians in our region. With such fighting measures it will be possible to restore what has been lost and keep our heroic people away from defeating complex, with this we can only ensure the further progress and development of our heroic people”, the statement says.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

US Senator says Turkey’s Erdogan made a mockery of OSCE Minsk process

Chakrian Hovsep

Save

Share

 13:08,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. US Senator Ed Markey has commented on Turkey’s actions in the South Caucasus, stating that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made a mockery of the OSCE Minsk process dealing with the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

“It is a stain on this administration that they’ve allowed President Trump’s friend Erdogan to stage a land-grab in the South Caucasus and make a mockery of the OSCE Minsk process”, the Senator said.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has initiated a campaign, calling on American-Armenians to join Senator Ed Markey in encouraging the US to urgently re-engage as a leader of the OSCE Minsk Group, as well as to support in recognizing the independence of Artsakh and condemn Turkey-backed Azerbaijani aggression.

 

Editing and Translating by by Aneta Harutyunyan