Author: Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS

NATO supports the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Javier Colomina

Emil Lazarian

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 14:10, 6 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. NATO referred to the negotiations held in Washington between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, ARMENPRESS reports, Javier Colomina, the NATO Secretary General's special representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia, wrote on his Twitter page.

"It is nice to hear that after 4 days of constructive engagement between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington, tangible progress has been made towards a lasting peace agreement," Kolomina noted.

He emphasized that negotiations and dialogue are the only way.

"NATO supports the normalization of relations between our partners Armenia and Azerbaijan," Javier Colomina concluded.

Czech PM calls for stronger ties with Armenia, reveals new cooperation project involving light aircraft production

Emil Lazarian

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 15:58, 4 May 2023

PRAGUE, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala has called for enhancing the friendly and successful relations with Armenia.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is visiting the Czech Republic on an official trip May 4-5.

“I am very happy to once again welcome Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan here in Prague,” PM Fiala said at a joint press conference with PM Pashinyan on May 4 in Prague.

PM Fiala mentioned that during his previous meeting with PM Pashinyan they concurred that the two countries bear the same democratic values.

“We must appreciate the role Armenia has in the region. We must also appreciate the fact that in March of this year the European Parliament released a report saying that Armenia is leading in the region,” the Czech PM said, calling for support to Armenia.

Armenia and Czech Republic seek to expand cooperation under a joint statement on diplomatic relations, he added.

PM Fiala said that Prague became one of the venues where a step forward in the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations was attempted by hosting the quadrilateral meeting between Pashinyan, Azeri leader Aliyev, French President Macron and the EU’s Charles Michel.

Fiala further noted that Armenia is among the primary countries in the Czech Republic’s Transformation Cooperation Program aimed at supporting the civil society, human rights and independent media.

“Armenia and Czechia have friendly and successful relations, which we want to further enhance. We see additional possibilities for deepening cooperation in the economy, science, education, energy. For example, energy is highly important both for the Czech Republic and Armenia. Czech scientists are involved in the safety improvement works in Metsamor nuclear power plant. Our experts participate in the ongoing repair and this is an example of successful cooperation. The Czech Republic can also offer high quality technologies, such as in the area of smart cities,” he said.

The Czech PM also mentioned cooperation in aviation.

“I am happy that our cooperation in aviation continues to enhance. There is a project whereby light aircraft could be manufactured in Stepanavan, Armenia, where an airport was built after the earthquake. The 6th session of the Czech-Armenian inter-governmental commission will take place in Prague, dealing with economic and industrial cooperation affairs. New areas of cooperation will be opened during that meeting, naturally,” the Czech PM said.

[see video]

Inscriptions found in Armenia may push back history of Iran’s lion symbol by centuries

Emil Lazarian
 TEHRAN TIMES 
Iran – May 5 2023
  1. Tourism
May 5, 2023 – 19:52

TEHRAN – Inscriptions discovered in a ruined mosque in a small village in Armenia can help trace the history of the Iranian lion symbol back several hundred years, a member of Iran’s Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism has said.

It turns out that Armenian inscriptions place the history of the lion symbol in Iranian petroglyphs 600 years earlier than archaeologists originally thought, ISNA quoted Morteza Rezvanfar as saying on Friday.

In one of these Persian inscriptions, a lion is engraved with a sword in hand next to the name of Imam Ali (AS), he added.

According to historical documents, this motif dates back to the time of the Qajar king Fath Ali Shah who reigned from 1797 to 1834, but these newly discovered inscriptions may push that date back over 600 years, he explained. 

In addition to the lion and sun symbol, which dates back thousands of years, the first image of a lion holding a sword in inscriptions discovered in Iran, dates back to Qajar-era (1789-1925), and before that, the lion symbol have always had its feet on the ground, he noted. 

Ancient Iran, also known as Persia, historic region of southwestern Asia that is only roughly coterminous with modern Iran. The term Persia was used for centuries, chiefly in the West, to designate those regions where the Persian language and culture predominated, but it more correctly refers to a region of southern Iran formerly known as Persis, alternatively as Pars or Parsa, modern Fars. 

Parsa was the name of an Indo-European nomadic people who migrated into the region about 1000 BC. The first mention of Parsa occurs in the annals of Shalmanesar II, an Assyrian king, in 844 BC. 

During the rule of the Persian Achaemenian dynasty (559–330 BC), the ancient Greeks first encountered the inhabitants of Persis on the Iranian plateau, when the Achaemenids—natives of Persis—were expanding their political sphere. The Achaemenids were the dominant dynasty during Greek history until the time of Alexander the Great, and the use of the name Persia was gradually extended by the Greeks and other peoples to apply to the whole Iranian plateau.

ABU/AM 

I wouldn’t want Turkey to perceive Nemesis monument as unfriendly step, Speaker of Parliament Simonyan says in Ankara

Emil Lazarian

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 14:00, 5 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan has said that he wouldn’t want Turkey to perceive the opening of the Nemesis monument in Yerevan as neither a foreign policy display nor an unfriendly step.

Simonyan made the comments during a press briefing in Ankara, where he is on a visit for the PABSEC meeting.

“I regret that the installation of the monument received such a reaction in Turkey. I’ve discussed this issue with my Turkish colleague. The decision [on installing the monument] was made in the local self-government body. And I wouldn’t want the installation of the monument to be perceived here as a display of Armenia’s state, foreign policy or an unfriendly step,” Simonyan told Turkish media.

He stressed that foreign policy is conducted by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister in Armenia, and everyone has witnessed the decisions made on these levels in the past months.

“We must realize that reasons or occasions for deteriorating relations can always be found, if desired. I could’ve found a thousand different reasons for not traveling to Turkey. But I am here to tell the Turkish public that Armenia is ready for peace and normalization of relations without preconditions,” Simonyan said.

The Speaker of Parliament noted that Armenia is absolutely sincere in its aspirations and desires for normalizing relations. “If there is political will, a decision to establish relations, we must understand that this won’t be an easy road. But nevertheless, let’s move forward. I hope that our Turkish colleagues will also move forward and we will use this historic opportunity to open a new chapter for us and the region,” Simonyan said.

Turkey has closed its airspace to Armenian flights heading to a third destination in response to the unveiling of the Nemesis monument in Yerevan last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday.

Cavusoglu said Turkey would take further steps if the monument is not removed.

The direct flights from Armenia to Turkey are unaffected by the move.

However, Cavusoglu said that "VIP flights" will not be allowed. He said they made an exception for Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan, who is visiting Turkey for the PABSEC meeting, Anadolu reported. 

Nemesis was unveiled in Yerevan on April 25 to honor the participants of Operation Nemesis, a 1920s program of assassinations of Ottoman perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide.




Pashinyan points to lingering Armenia-Azerbaijan differences

Emil Lazarian
MEHR News Agency
Iran – May 6 2023

TEHRAN, May 06 (MNA) – Armenian Prime Minister still sees a "huge difference" between the wording of a draft peace agreement for Armenia and Azerbaijan and the two sides' positions despite reported progress in bilateral talks hosted by US this week.

In an interview with Radio Free Europe on Friday, Pashinian said the key differences concern not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also territorial and security guarantees.

"We are still unable to reach agreement in the draft peace agreement on the wording that will give us confidence that Azerbaijan recognizes 29,800 square kilometers of Armenia" within its Soviet-era borders, he said.

Pashinian also highlighted the need for guarantees as "any agreement, even the most unambiguously written one, allows for interpretations."

Despite US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's optimism that "with additional goodwill, flexibility, and compromise, an agreement is within reach," Pashinian assessed the progress as minimal.

"While the difference between the sides was one kilometer before, now it is 990 meters. It is progress, but there is still a huge difference," he said.

Pashinian reiterated Armenia's position that the issue of the rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenians should be discussed in a dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert with international engagement.

"Otherwise, this topic and agenda can simply be forgotten by Azerbaijan," he said, adding that there are different interpretations in Yerevan and Baku on how to address the rights of Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenians.

He also said that both international and local mechanisms should be applied to such matters as the withdrawal of troops and the establishment of a demilitarized zone.

Pashinian said the discussion that started in Washington can continue in Moscow, denying claims there are differing "Western" and "Russian" drafts.

The six-week war in which Azerbaijan regained all the Armenian-controlled areas outside of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as chunks of territory inside the Soviet-era autonomous region ended with a Russian-brokered cease-fire under which Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to serve as peacekeepers.

Tensions along the restive Armenian-Azerbaijani border and around Nagorno-Karabakh leading to sporadic fighting and loss of life have persisted despite the cease-fire and the presence of Russian troops.

They flared anew last month when Azerbaijan installed a road checkpoint at the start of the Lachin Corridor, the only route linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia says the checkpoint, set up on April 23, is a violation of the cease-fire. Azerbaijan insists it established it in response to what it says were Armenian military supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia denies that accusation.

SKH/PR

If Azerbaijan returns Armenian villages, “Yerevan will respond in kind”

Emil Lazarian
Armenia – May 6 2023
May 6, 2023 – 16:08 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that if Azerbaijan is ready to return occupied Armenian villages, Armenia is ready to respond in kind.

"We have occupied villages too, and by village I don’t mean just the building of the village administration, it’s, let's say, Berkaber, Vazashen, Aygehovit, Paravakar. If Azerbaijan is ready to return them, yes, we are ready too,” Pashinyan said in an inter with the Armenian service of RFE/RL.

“But there is another question here. Let's assume that the army of Azerbaijan or Armenia is standing on this line and should withdraw from that line, we agree with that in principle, but should it withdraw, where will it be deployed? If there is a border there, then let's make it so Azerbaijani troops are not on this side of the border line, Armenian troops should not be on the other side of the border line," he said.

Azerbaijan’s permanent representative to the United Nations recently advanced as many as eight preconditions to Armenia, including the withdrawal of Armenian troops from Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian withdrawal from eight occupied Azerbaijani villages and Armenia’s refusal to have territorial claims to Azerbaijan.

Commenting on Azerbaijan’s claim regarding “eight Azerbaijani villages occupied by Armenia,” Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalian reminded that still back in the 1990s Azerbaijan occupied the Armenian village of Artsvashen, the arable lands of the villages of Vazashen and Aygeovit in the Tavush region and 70 percent of the arable land of the villages of Berkaber and Paravakar. She said that after the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh, as a result of renewed aggression, Azerbaijan occupied another 150 square kilometers of sovereign Armenian territory.

"Albanization" of Armenian churches is cultural genocide

Emil Lazarian
NEWS.am
Armenia – May 6 2023
13:20, 06.05.2023

Azerbaijan has adopted a state-level policy of total destruction of everything Armenian. Advisor to the President of the Republic of Artsakh David Babayan told Armenian News-NEWS.am commenting on the start of illegal settlement of Hadrut [town in Artsakh occupied by Azerbaijan] and the "Albanization" of the Armenian church of Hadrut.

“Although it’s not always easy to destroy. Where the Armenian heritage, the monuments, are located away from the eyes of the public and the international community, yes, they are wiped off the face of the earth. Where it is impossible to do so, attempts are being made to change the history of the monuments, to ascribe to them a foreign origin. As for the temples. What is happening with the Hadrut church, the so-called "Albanization", is nothing but a cultural genocide," he said.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 05-05-23

Emil Lazarian

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 17:07, 5 May 2023

YEREVAN, 5 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 5 May, USD exchange rate down by 0.96 drams to 386.35 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 2.61 drams to 425.83 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.07 drams to 5.02 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.26 drams to 487.15 drams.

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

Gold price up by 315.44 drams to 25398.12 drams. Silver price up by 3.88 drams to 318.30 drams.

PM Pashinyan meets the President of the Senate of the Czech Republic

Emil Lazarian

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 18:32, 5 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan had a meeting with the President of the Senate of the Czech Republic, Miloš Vistarčil, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The interlocutors emphasized the further development and expansion of cooperation between parliamentarians of the two countries, referred to the negotiations and results of Prime Minister Pashinyan's official visit to the Czech Republic.

At the meeting, reference was made to the processes taking place in the South Caucasus, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh resulted by the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the activities of the European Union's civilian mission in Armenia and other topics.

Asbarez: French Foreign Minister Refers to Karabakh as ‘Enclave within Azerbaijan’

Emil Lazarian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 May 5, 2023

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

France's Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna meets with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan on Apr. 27


During an interview with France’s public radio, that country’s foreign minister, Catherine Colonna, referred to Karabakh as an Armenian-populated “enclave inside Azerbaijan.” This statement is sure to anger Baku, which claims Artsakh as being part of Azerbaijan.

”We must distinguish the situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan from the situation of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is an enclave inside Azerbaijan inhabited by Armenians,” Colonna said during the interview.

Colonna traveled to Armenia and Azerbaijan last week to meet with the leaders of the two countries and advance prospects of a peace treaty.

Colonna told the French public radio that France is committed to contributing to a peace agreement between the two countries, and noted that the position of France, the EU, and the International Court of Justice is that the blockade of Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan should be lifted without any conditions, crossroads reported.

She also announced that a possible meeting between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev could take place on June 1, on the margins of the second summit of the European Political Community, in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova.

Meanwhile, with the support of the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy, 32 Belgian and French politicians and public figures have adopted a statement condemning the installation of an illegal checkpoint by Azerbaijan and the double blockade of the people of Artsakh

“We condemn Azerbaijan’s installation of a checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor, which deepens the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh and worsens the fragile security of the region. We hereby call on the government of Azerbaijan to fulfill its obligations, immediately open the Lachin Corridor, remove the checkpoint, stop the hostile policy against the native Armenian population of Artsakh and act as a responsible member of the international community,” the signatories say.

“I highly appreciate similar initiatives by political and public figures who enjoy respect in political and public circles in Belgium and France. This is a civil tool that forces European countries and the EU executive to keep this issue on the agenda and take concrete steps in this direction,” said EAFJD President Kaspar Karampetyan.