Author: Chalian Meline

Opposition holds rally, outlines demands

Chalian Meline
Public Radio of Armenia
April 5 2022
April 5, 2022, 20:22

 

The opposition factions of the National Assembly convened a rally at the Freedom Square under the slogan “For the sake of Artsakh, let’s save Armenia.”

Second President Serzh Sargsyan participates in the rally, but did not make a speech.

Speaking to reporters before the start of the rally, Sargsyan said he does not believe any document will be signed during tomorrow’s meeting between Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev in Brussels.

Addressing accusations that the previous authorities did manage to solve the issue over 30 years, he said: “It’s not easy to solve such conflicts even during 30, 40 or 50 years. We have approached that solution as much as we could. I have never negotiated about what we can hand over. I have negotiated on what we can get. And because of that, yes, we were somewhat willing to compromise.”

“Our struggle is for the future of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh. Our struggle is for every Armenian living in any corner of the world,” said MP Tigran Abrahamyan. “Artsakh will never be part of Azerbaijan,” he added.  

“This meeting is about avoiding fatal decision,” MP Aram Vardevanyan said addressing the public.

Noting that April is a month to commemorate the anniversary of the 4-day April war and the Armenian genocide, Vardevanyan said April should also become a month of “imposing real peace.”

Anna Mkrtchyan presented a final resolution-statement outlining the “basic principles of pan-Armenian agenda and the red lines.”  

She said “the independence, security and sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh are fundamental values, and there can be no retreat from those.”

The final statement says “to prepare prerequisites for the peace agenda, Azerbaijan should return all Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees, withdraw forces from both the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh.”

Furthermore, she stressed that “it’s necessary to establish that the Republic of Armenia is the guarantor of security of the people of Artsakh and the realization of its right to self-determination.”

She further stated the need to exclude any status of Artsakh within Azerbaijan, as well as an enclave status without a reliable land communication with Armenia” and to take steps to resume the negotiation process in line with the 1994 OSCE summit.

The statement also demands to exclude the signing of any interstate agreement or start any delimitation and demarcation process as long as Azerbaijan continues to use force or threat of force.

When it comes to Armenia-Turkey relations, the opposition calls to avoid any agreement that would question the fact of the Armenian Genocide and the right to be bearer of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage.

After the rally the protesters marched to France Square. They pledged to continue the protests.

Embassy of Netherlands to support 5 new programs on women`s empowerment and gender equality in Armenia

Chalian Meline
ARMINFO
Armenia – April 7 2022
Naira Badalian

ArmInfo.On April 7, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Armenia signed an agreement to support five new programs with five Armenian organizations, including  regional ones.

According to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in  Armenia, the programs for the protection of women’s rights, women’s  empowerment and gender equality in Armenia are aimed at protecting  the labor rights of women, the rights of Yezidi women, preventing  violence against women, researching issues of generational change of  values and gender equality.

“Women’s rights, gender equality and women’s leadership are very  important values for the Netherlands, which we promote and fight for  in our country and around the world. Today we are launching new  programs and partnerships aimed at creating a better environment and  equality for women “, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in  Armenia Nicholas Schermers said.

The new programs will be implemented by Alvan Tsaghik  social-educational NGO, the author of the Safe YOU mobile  application, created to protect women from violence, the Impact  Institute of Innovations, the Yezidi Center for Human Rights NGO, the  Parents for Equality organization.  It is noted that this year marks  the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations  between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Armenia.  The Netherlands and Armenia have been developing stable and  effective, mutually beneficial cooperation for 30 years. –

Lavrov on invasion of Parukh: There are circumstances there that need clarification

Chalian Meline
ARMINFO
Armenia – April 8 2022
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo.From the very beginning of the incident, which occurred on March 24, Russia stated that the Russian military on the ground – the peacekeeping contingent  is engaged in clarifying all the circumstances of this incident. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated this on April 8 in  Moscow at a press conference following the results of negotiations  with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, at a request to  assess the Azerbaijani invasion of the village of Parukh in  Nagorno-Karabakh. “We talked about this today. There are  circumstances there, that not completely clear to us. I would not  like to get ahead of myself now and not make any final judgments. We  are convinced that our Armenian friends fully trust the Russian  peacekeeping contingent (RPC), and the occasional calls, such as  holding this contingent accountable or to conduct some internal  investigation,  do not reflect the real attitude of the Armenian  people, the Armenian leadership to the role – the huge role that the  Russian peacekeeping contingent plays in maintaining stability in  this region,” the Russian minister said.

According to him, of course there are small incidents. At the same  time, Lavrov once again stressed that in this particular case, Russia  is sorting it out through its military.  “There are things that  require clarification,” the Russian Foreign Minister said.  In turn,  the Armenian minister, speaking about the Azerbaijani invasion of the  village of Parukh of Nagorno-Karabakh, the violation of the status  quo, as well as the activities of the RPC, noted that Yerevan still  believes that the Russian peacekeeping contingent will still be able  to restore the status quo, the situation as of March 23 of the  current year.  “As I said today, the peacekeeping contingent was  deployed around Nagorno-Karabakh in order to ensure the status quo of  November 9, 2020 and ensure the safety of the population of  Nagorno-Karabakh. I repeat, we still believe that the status quo will  be restored and the RPC will continue to fulfill its the most  important mission to ensure and guarantee security,” the Armenian  Foreign Minister summed up.  It should be noted that on March 24 the  Azerbaijani Armed Forces, having violated the line of contact,  invaded the village of Parukh in the Askeran region of Artsakh and  tried to take control over the strategic height of Karaglukh. These  territories are in the zone of responsibility of Russian  peacekeepers. There were local fights. The enemy used attack drones.  There were casualties on both sides. The Armenian side reported the  death of three and the wounding of 15 of its contract soldiers. The  OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries called on Azerbaijan to return to  the positions established on March 23. On March 27, in the evening,  the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Azerbaijani military  retreated to their starting positions, meanwhile, the Azerbaijani  side denies this message from the Russian defense department,  assuring that it is a lie.  According to the latest reports,  Azerbaijani units continue to occupy the Karaglukh height. Official  Yerevan and Stepanakert expect that the Russian peacekeepers in  Artsakh will take measures to return the Azerbaijanis to their  starting positions and will be able to prevent possible military  provocations on the line of contact.  -sh-  

Armenian writer Mıgırdiç Margosyan laid to rest

Chalian Meline
BIAnet, Turkey
April 17 2022

The author passed away on Saturday at the age of 84. Politicians, local governors, journalists and writers attended the funeral.
İstanbul – BIA News Desk, Thursday

The funeral of Armenian writer Mıgırdiç Margosyan was held today (April 7) at the Kumkapı Patriarchate Church in Fatih, İstanbul.

Several politicians, local governors, journalists and writers attended the funeral. After the ceremony, Margosyan was laid to rest at the Şişli Armenian Cemetery.

Photo: Surp Haç Tıbrevank Armenian High School/Twitter

Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies Sezgin Tanrıkulu and Turan Aydoğan, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputies Garo Paylan and Züleyha Gülüm, Labor Party Chair Ercüment Akdeniz, Princes’ Islands Mayor Erdem Gül, Kadıköy Mayor Şerdil Dara Odabaşı, DİSK Basın İş union Chair Faruk Eren, and writer Şeyhmus Diken were among those who attended the funeral.

Margosyan passed away on Saturday (April 2) at the age of 84.

Writer and novelist. He was born in Diyarbakır’s Hançepek Neighborhood (The Neighborhood of Giaours) on December 23, 1938.

He graduated from the Philosophy Department of İstanbul University Faculty of Literature. Between 1966 and 1972, he was the manager and a teacher of philosophy, psychology and Armenian language and literature at the Surp Haç Tıbrevank Armenian Church in Üsküdar, İstanbul.

Later, he quit teaching and went into business. He continued his literary works without interruption.

Some of the Armenian stories he wrote for Marmara newspaper were made into a book entitled “Mer Ayt Goğmerı” (Our Neighborhood) in 1984. With this book, he was granted the Eliz Kavukçuyan Literary Award in Paris in 1988.

Aras Publishing House published several other books by Margosyan. Compilations of his articles for Evrensel and Agos were also published as books.

His last book, The Journal of God (Tanrı’nın Syir Defteri), was published in 2016. (AÖ/VK)

Chaarat’s loss narrows on good performance at Armenia mine

Chalian Meline
Mining Weekly
April 7 2022

7TH APRIL 2022

BY: TASNEEM BULBULIA
CREAMER MEDIA REPORTER

Aim-listed Chaarat generated revenue of $92.4-million from concentrate sales for the 12 months ended December 31, 2021, with $72.8-million relating to own ore revenue and $19.6-million to third-party ore revenue.

Group earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) were $13.5-million – 45% higher than in 2020.

The group loss after tax was $3.6-million, an improvement of 84% from a loss after tax of $22.4-million in 2020.

Cash and cash equivalents increased from $6.9-million to $11.1-million year-over-year.

Net debt decreased from $77.2-million to $39.6-million owing to a debt-to-equity conversion and equity raise in February 2021, as well as the ongoing repayment of the Kapan acquisition loan.

Highlights during the period included ongoing reviews to assess the best available technologies for the project regarding environment control and energy savings.

At the Kapan mine, in Armenia, Charaat finished the year with production of 63 000 gold-equivalent ounces (GEOs), including 14 000 GEOs from third-party ore production, above its 2021 guidance of 57 000 oz.

At the Tulkubash construction project in the Kyrgyz Republic, an updated bankable feasibility study was released in May 2021, confirming robust project economics.

Charaat also successfully completed a 4 835 m drilling programme including infill drilling and initial exploration drilling on new target areas.

It also advanced camp construction, main construction preparation work and the exploration programme, with about $8.5-million invested in 2021.

At the Kyzyltash development project in the Kyrgyz Republic, Charaat successfully completed a 3 508 m drilling programme to obtain representative core of the Kyzyltash deposit ready for metallurgical testing. The core has been sent to SGS Lakefield in Canada for a full suite of metallurgical test work as part of assessing the preferred processing route for the project.

POST-YEAR END

Mike Fraser started as new CEO and member of the board on January 17, and since then completed a comprehensive strategic and operational review. Key elements of the strategy will be implemented within this year.

The Kapan mineral resource estimate (MRE) and ore reserves were updated in 2021 and signed off in April.

The 2022 MRE was developed on a constrained basis. The application of the constraining factors and a 2 g/t cut-off grade limits any direct comparison to the previously reported unconstrained resource in 2019.

A resolution of the Kumtor mine situation was announced in April and Chaarat is restarting financing discussions on the Tulkubash project as planned.

OUTLOOK

The conflict in Ukraine and associated sanctions against Russia have the potential to impact the supply chain, costs and commodity prices in Charaat’s region and, therefore, it notes that it is monitoring the developments closely.

So far, the conflict has had no direct impact on the group’s operations, and the group does not expect there to be a material impact this year.

At Kapan, Charaat confirmed mine production guidance of 50 000 oz to 53 000 oz of own-ore production and an additional 6 000 oz to 9 000 oz of third-party ore production based on 100 000 t milled during the year.

At the East Flank, resource definition drilling is ongoing as part of preparing an initial MRE expected in 2023.

At Tulkubash, updated mineral resource and reserve statements are expected to be released in the first half of this year. Given the resolution of Centerra’s Kumtor situation, debt financing is expected to close in the second half.

Ongoing project work will focus on engineering completion and appropriate construction activities to optimise full activities once debt financing is secured.

At Kyzyltash, metallurgical test results are expected back from SGS Lakefield in the third quarter of this year to enable the company to perform an economic assessment on the best processing route in 2023.

Chaarat will continue to review its existing balance sheet structure with a view to further reducing its interest costs and improving the balance sheet structure. 

EDITED BY: CHANEL DE BRUYN
CREAMER MEDIA SENIOR DEPUTY EDITOR ONLINE

Pashinyan stresses need for addressed reaction of intl. community to situation in Artsakh in a meeting with EU’s Michel

Chalian Meline

Pashinyan stresses need for addressed reaction of intl. community to situation in Artsakh in a meeting with EU’s Michel

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 18:53, 6 April, 2022

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is in Brussels on a working visit, had a private conversation with the President of the European Council Charles Michel, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The interlocutors referred to the trilateral meeting of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, the President of the European Council Charles Michel and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev scheduled for today, attaching importance to the continuation of the dialogue.

Nikol Pashinyan presented the situation in Artsakh following the recent actions of the Azerbaijani units, the humanitarian issues and stressed the need for an addressed reaction of the international community.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and Charles Michel exchanged views on the implementation process of the agreements reached during the trilateral meeting held in Brussels on December 14 last year.

The parties expressed hope that today’s trilateral talks will be fruitful, which will contribute to stability and comprehensive solution of the issues.

Nikol Pashinyan and Charles Michel also discussed issues related to the Armenia-EU bilateral agenda, in particular, the implementation of the €2.6 billion economic and investment plan declared by the EU for Armenia.

Asbarez: Prelate Announces Expansion of Holy Martyrs Church Complex In Encino

Chalian Meline
by Asbarez Staff

 

 March 31, 2022

 

in Community, Featured Main, Latest, News, Top Stories

A street view of the Holy Martyrs Church in Encino

“The Western Prelacy is at the Beginning of a Great Dawn,” Said the Prelate

Western Prelate Bishop Torkom Donoayan on Tuesday presided over an important meeting during which he announced the purchase of the property adjacent to the Holy Martyrs Church in Encino.

The participants of the meeting were, Vahe Hovaguimian, Chairman of the Executive Council; George Chorbajian, Dr. Kaloust Agopian, Treasurer of the Prelacy Executive Council; Secretary of the Executive Council and Liaison Officer to the Board of Regents; Sarkis Ourfalian Esq., Chairman of the Board of Regents; Archpriest Rev. Razmig Khatchadourian, Pastor of Holy Martyrs Church in Encino; Hovig Bedevian, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Holy Martyrs Church; Vahe Benlian, Chairman of the Educational Board of Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School; and Sossi Shanlian, the Principal of Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School who joined the gathering via Zoom.

“We would like to inform you that the complex of the Holy Martyrs Church, where Ferrahian High school is located will more than double in size with this purchase,” announced the Prelate.

Western Prelate Bishop Torkom Donoyan announced the expansion of the Holy Martyrs Church complex at a special meeting

Under the auspices of the Western Prelacy and by the initiative and efforts of the local community members and benefactors, the property directly adjacent to the Holy Martyrs complex was acquired. The project is in escrow and will be confirmed within two weeks. Also, for months now, the Prelate, the Executive Council and the local bodies have been working diligently to bring this purchase to fruition.

“School construction is part of more than a half-century mission of the Western Prelacy, because the schools are the strongholds of our nation’s existence” stated the Prelate. “The Western Prelacy wants to inform the people and the community about this victorious and great dawn that will open in front of the Western Prelacy.

The Prelate stressed that the community will be pleased by this new achievement of the Prelacy. Benefactors are already expressing their readiness to generously support this costly project at various levels and in full.

Concluding his remarks, the Prelate added that as a gesture of support, the Prelacy is committed to donate the first one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) to be used as leaven on the way to the completion of this project.

Armenian deputy PM, Jordan’s Minister of Investment discuss new cooperation opportunities

Chalian Meline

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 16:40,

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Hambardzum Matevosyan met with Jordan’s Minister of Investment Khairy Amr during the visit in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the deputy PM’s Office said in a news release.

The officials discussed the peculiarities of the investment climate of Armenia and Jordan, as well as the broad circle of promotion mechanisms.

The Minister of Investment of Jordan said the Armenia-Jordan business forum 2020 in Yerevan created a great interest among Jordanian investors. He highly appreciated the role of the Armenian community in Jordan’s development.

Despite the COVID-19-related restrictions, the sides agreed to continue the active cooperation aimed at ensuring the desirable level of the partnership dynamics. Minister Khairy Amr informed about his plan to visit Armenia in the future together with the interested representatives of their business community.

CivilNet: Azerbaijani forces have not fully withdrawn from Karabakh’s Askeran region

Chalian Meline
CIVILNET.AM

29 Mar, 2022 10:03

Azerbaijani forces have not fully withdrawn from the strategic Karaglukh height in Nagorno-Karabakh’s Askeran region. According to the Nagorno-Karabakh Information center, no significant ceasefire violations have been registered since yesterday, and negotiations continue to pressure Azerbaijani forces to return to their original positions.

Armenia seeks to bolster ties with Saudi Arabia in high-tech sector

Chalian Meline
Arab News, Saudi Arabia



RIYADH: Armenia seeks to learn from Saudi Arabia’s ongoing digital transformation experience and bolster ties with the Kingdom in the high-tech sector, the Armenian deputy minister of industry told Arab News on Monday.

Talking on the sidelines of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Riyadh, Robert Khachatryan said his country was also undergoing digital transformation, and “it will be interesting to” learn more from the Saudi experience.

He also told Arab News that Armenia was working to improve the startup ecosystem using different tools such as tax incentives. “We are now in the process of establishing a state venture fund” to support small and medium enterprises in the country,” the top official said.  

Highlighting the importance of his country’s high-tech sector, Khachatryan said Armenia was known for its electronic goods during the Soviet era.

The deputy minister said Armenia seeks to promote its high-tech sector in the region and boost cooperation with Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region in this regard.

“I think that we need to start a dialogue and strengthen our relations, it can be (done) by mutual visits,” Khachatryan said.