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

Delyagin reacts to Azerbaijan’s decision to declare him internationally wanted

Emil Lazarian

Delyagin reacts to Azerbaijan’s decision to declare him internationally wanted

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 19:45,

YEREVAN, 30 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. Russian State Duma deputy Mikhail Delyagin stated that he has not called for the bombing Azerbaijan, ARMENPRESS reports he made a note about this on his “Telegram” page.

“I have not called for the bombing of Azerbaijan with conventional or nuclear weapons,” he said.

He expressed the opinion that the information about him being declared internationally wanted by the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan “is either fake or a journalistic mistake.”

“Otherwise, we must admit that there is no one left in the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan who understands Russian or can use the services of a translator. If we assume that this news is true, it is very sad, because the people, whose legal system has nothing to do with reality, are waiting for very interesting revelations, which will not always be pleasant,” he wrote.

Mikhail Delyagin had called on Russian peacekeepers to strike at Azerbaijan’s oil fields for disobeying.

In response to that statement, the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan filed a criminal case against him. Mikhail Delyagin was declared internationally wanted through Interpol.




RFE/RL Armenian Report – 03/30/2022

Emil Lazarian 
                                        Wednesday, 
Pashinian, Aliyev To Meet Again In Brussels
        • Heghine Buniatian
Belgium - European Council President Charles Michel meets with Armenian Prime 
Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev, Brussels, 
December 14, 2021.
European Council President Charles Michel will host fresh talks between the 
leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Brussels next week, it was announced on 
Wednesday.
A spokesman for Michel gave no details of the agenda of his trilateral meeting 
with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and President Ilham Aliyev, saying only that 
it is scheduled for April 6.
A senior European diplomat, who asked not to be identified, told RFE/RL that the 
three men will review recent developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone 
and continue discussions on achieving regional peace and stability. They will 
specifically focus on practical modalities of opening transport links between 
Armenia and Azerbaijan, said the diplomat.
Michel and French President Emmanuel Macron held a virtual meeting with Aliyev 
and Pashinian on February 4. The video conference came about two months after 
Pashinian’s two face-to-face talks with Aliyev which were separately hosted by 
Macron and Michel in Brussels.
The fresh meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders was announced two days 
after Armenia offered to “immediately” start negotiations with Azerbaijan on a 
bilateral peace treaty sought by Baku. The offer in turn followed deadly 
fighting in Karabakh sparked by an Azerbaijani incursion into a local village 
and surrounding territory.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Baku is prepared for such 
negotiations but expects the Armenian side to take unspecified “concrete steps” 
first. It said the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal must be based on five 
elements that were presented by it to Yerevan on March 10. Those include, among 
other things, a mutual commitment to recognize each other’s territorial 
integrity.
Freed Mayor Allowed To Run Armenian Town For Now
        • Naira Nalbandian
Armenia - Goris Mayor Arush Arushanian speaks with journalists after his release 
from custody, March 28, 2022.
Prosecutors confirmed on Wednesday that the opposition-linked mayor of the 
southeastern Armenian town of Goris can continue to perform his duties for now 
despite a court ruling that bars him from holding public office.
Arush Arushanian received a suspended six-month prison sentence and was set free 
on Monday nine months after being arrested on a string of charges strongly 
denied by him.
Arushanian was acquitted of vote buying but found guilty of assault and abuse of 
power at the end of a four-month trial. A court in Goris also ruled that he 
cannot hold any local government posts for the next five years.
Arushanian’s lawyers said that he will appeal against the verdict. They insisted 
that the 31-year-old can continue to serve as Goris mayor pending a higher 
court’s ruling on the appeal.
A spokesman for Armenia’s Office of the Prosecutor-General, Gor Abrahamian, 
confirmed that. “There are no obstacles right now given the fact that the 
judicial act has not yet taken effect,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
Arushanian returned to work hours after walking free in the courtroom. A 
statement posted on the website of the Goris municipality said that he will 
chair a session of the municipal council scheduled for April 5.
The council elected last October is empowered to appoint and dismiss the head of 
the local community comprising Goris and surrounding villages.
An opposition bloc led by Arushanian controls 13 of the 21 seats in the council. 
It will therefore be in a position to install another mayor if Arushanian’s 
removal from office is upheld by higher courts.
Arushanian was one of the four heads of major communities of Syunik province who 
were arrested shortly after the June 2021 parliamentary elections on various 
charges rejected by them as politically motivated. They all demanded Prime 
Minister Nikol Pashinian’s resignation before joining the main opposition 
Hayastan alliance set up by former President Robert Kocharian in the run-up to 
the snap polls.
Armenian Central Bank Sees Serious Fallout From Ukraine War
        • Robert Zargarian
Armenia - Export-bound brandy stored at a distillery in Yerevan.
Armenian economic growth will slow down considerably and inflation will remain 
high this year due to knock-on effects of Western sanctions imposed on Russia 
over its invasion of Ukraine, according to the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA).
In a report released this week, the CBA said that the country’s economy now 
faces “high uncertainty and significant risks.” It predicted sizable drops in 
Armenian exports to Russia and multimillion-dollar remittances from Armenians 
working there.
Russia is Armenia’s number one trading partner and export market, with bilateral 
trade totaling $2.6 billion last year. The Russian ruble has depreciated sharply 
since the start of the assault on Ukraine on February 24.
The CBA report says that Russian-owned companies operating in Armenia will 
experience major “difficulties and disruptions” because of the crippling 
sanctions against Russia.
One such company, the Teghut mining giant, suspended operations on March 14. It 
employs 1,100 people and was Armenia’s tenth largest corporate taxpayer in 2021.
Armenia - A newly constructed ore-processing plant at the Teghut copper mine, 
20Dec2014.
The CBA already cut its economic growth forecast for 2022 from 5.3 percent to 
1.6 percent in mid-March. A senior official from the International Monetary Fund 
forecast a virtually identical growth rate.
The CBA also raised its benchmark interest rate by 1.25 percentage points, 
citing increased inflationary pressures on the Armenian economy.
“A high inflationary environment is expected to persist in the months to come,” 
reads the bank’s latest report.
Food prices in the country went up by an average of almost 13 percent last year, 
reflecting a global trend. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian warned on March 3 that 
fallout from the conflict in Ukraine will push them up further.
Armenia imports a large part of its wheat, cooking oil and other basic 
foodstuffs from Russia. Many of its citizens are already struggling to cope with 
the increased cost of living.
“What should pensioners do?” said one middle-aged woman in Yerevan. “Things are 
getting worse by the day.”
Armenian Judge’s Arrest Extended
        • Marine Khachatrian
Armenia-Judge Boris Bakhshiyan,undated
An Armenian court has extended by one month the pre-trial arrest of a judge 
prosecuted on what he sees as politically motivated charges.
Boris Bakhshiyan was taken into custody on February 7 two weeks after granting 
bail to a jailed opposition figure. He rejects accusations leveled against him 
as government retribution for that decision.
The accusations stem from another decision which Bakhshiyan made during an 
ongoing trial presided over by him. Prosecutors claim that the 36-year-old judge 
illegally ordered the arrest of one of the defendants in that trial.
The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), a state body overseeing Armenian courts, 
allowed Bakhshiyan’s arrest despite an uproar from many lawyers and the 
leadership of Armenia’s Union of Judges.
Bakhshiyan’s lawyer, Arsen Sardarian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on 
Wednesday that a Yerevan court has agreed to allow investigators to hold his 
client in detention for one more month, until May 7.
In recent months, opposition groups, legal experts and some judges have 
repeatedly accused the Armenian government of seeking to increase its influence 
on courts under the guise of judicial reforms. The authorities deny this, 
insisting that the reforms are aimed at increasing judicial independence.
Armenia’s parliament controlled by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s party 
approved in February legislation that made it easier for law-enforcement 
authorities to indict and arrest judges.
Armenian Ministry Raided In Corruption Probe
        • Marine Khachatrian
Armenia - The building of the Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations, Yerevan.
Law-enforcement officers have raided the Armenian Ministry of Emergency 
Situations as part of an apparent investigation into corruption.
The officers of the Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC) and the National Security 
Service (NSS) jointly searched at least one office at the ministry headquarters 
in Yerevan on Monday. It remains unclear whether anyone was arrested or charged 
as a result.
Neither law-enforcement agency has commented on the extraordinary operation so 
far. The ACC said on Wednesday that it will make an official statement soon.
A spokeswoman for the ministry told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that the 
investigators searched the office of Ashot Hakobian, an adviser to Minister of 
Emergency Situations Andranik Piloyan. Hakobian did not report for work on 
Wednesday despite not being on vacation, she said without commenting further.
Piloyan went on a two-week vacation hours after the raid. He was reportedly 
questioned by the ACC on Tuesday. The minister has still not publicly commented 
on the corruption probe.
Piloyan is a retired army general who participated in the 2020 war with 
Azerbaijan. During the six-week hostilities, he received Armenia’s highest state 
award, the title of National Hero, for leading what Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian called a successful Armenian counteroffensive southwest of 
Nagorno-Karabakh.
The award proved highly controversial seeing as Azerbaijani forces continued 
their advance in that area in the following days.
Pashinian went on to appoint Piloyan as minister in November 2020 less than two 
weeks after a Russian-brokered ceasefire that stopped the devastating war.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations will be run by Piloyan’s first deputy, 
Armen Pambukhchian, for now. Pambukhchian is a member of the ruling Civil 
Contract party.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2022 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Undue restrictions on freedom of expression continued in Armenia in 2021 – report

Emil Lazarian
Panorama
Armenia –

The right to freedom of _expression_ continued to be unduly restricted in Armenia in 2021, Amnesty International said in its annual Report 2021/22.

“The government introduced several legislative amendments curtailing independent media and other critical voices,” the human rights group noted.

“In March, the National Assembly increased the maximum fine for insult and defamation to AMD 6 million (approximately US$12,000). In August, another set of legislative amendments criminalized insulting public figures, making repeated insults punishable by up to three months’ imprisonment.

“In September, police opened a criminal case under this new law against a Facebook user for insulting the prime minister in a comment under a photo featuring him,” the report said.

Amnesty International stated that the Armenian authorities continued the prosecution on “trumped-up charges” of human rights defender Sashik Sultanian in retaliation for his criticism of the treatment of the Yazidi ethnic minority in Armenia.

“An investigation into his alleged incitement of national hatred had been opened in October 2020, after he published an online interview on problems faced by the ethnic Yazidis. His trial started in August and was ongoing at the end of the year. If convicted, he could face three to six years in prison,” it said.

Israel and Turkey discuss construction of gas pipeline as alternative to Russian energy supplies to Europe

Emil Lazarian
NEWS.am
Armenia –
23:52, 29.03.2022

Israel and Turkey are discussing the construction of a gas pipeline as an alternative to Russian energy supplies to Europe; however, according to government and industry officials in both countries, it would require complicated maneuvering to reach any deal, Reuters reported.

The idea, first conceived years ago, is to build a subsea pipeline from Turkey to Israel’s largest offshore natural gas field, Leviathan. Gas would flow to Turkey and on to southern European neighbors looking to diversify away from Russia.

Last year, the European Union imported 155 billion cubic meters of Russian gas, nearly 40 percent of its consumption.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said last week that gas cooperation was “one of the most important steps we can take together for bilateral ties,” and told reporters he was ready to send top ministers to Israel to revive the pipeline idea that has lingered for years.

A senior Turkish official said talks have been ongoing since Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Ankara in early March, and “concrete decisions” on the proposed route and the organizations involved could follow in the coming months.

Israeli Energy Minister Karine Elharrar told Ynet news on Sunday many considerations had yet to be discussed, including the finances.

“It needs to be found economically feasible, which is not something self-evident,” she said.

Sports: Arsen Harutyunyan celebrates victory over Turkish westler and becomes double European champion

Emil Lazarian
NEWS.am
Armenia –

Armenia’s Arsen Harutyunyan (61 kg) won gold at European freestyle wrestling championships in Budapest.

In the final the Armenian wrestler achieved a 15:3 victory over Turkey’s Suleyman Atli, a two-time European champion, vice-champion of the world and bronze medalist of the European Games.

Harutyunyan became a two-time European champion.

US President Biden proposes to cut aid for Armenia by $21 million – ANCA

Emil Lazarian

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 16:48,

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. The Biden Administration called for just $24 million in U.S. assistance to Armenia in the White House Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget proposal released today – $21 million less than what Congress allocated and the President approved for FY 2022 just weeks ago, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We are disappointed that President Biden’s annual budget – released in the wake of a government watchdog report documenting over $164,000,000 in U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan – flat-lines U.S. aid to Armenia at just over $24 million and fails to include any specific dollar amount for U.S. assistance to Artsakh,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We look to our Congressional allies, coalition partners, and community activists to work through the foreign aid appropriations process to dramatically boost U.S. aid numbers for both Artsakh and Armenia.”

Similar to his budget request for FY2022, the President’s FY2023 budget includes $23,405,000 in foreign aid and $600,000 in military assistance to Armenia. A separate line item in the budget calls for $6,050,000 in International Narcotics and Law Enforcement spending in Armenia. Following broad-based Congressional outreach by the ANCA and the Armenian American community last year, the final FY2022 aid package for Armenia was increased to $45 million and included an additional $2 million in U.S. demining assistance for those affected by the 2020 Azerbaijan and Turkey-led attacks on Armenia and Artsakh.

Supporters Have Joined the Movement to Transform Armenia’s Future Through Science

Emil Lazarian

 

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 18:30,

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has recently received attention from the international community supporting the advancement of science and innovation. Local and Diaspora Armenians as well as foreign companies and investors have joined the initiative undertaken by Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) to foster the development of the scientific ecosystem in Armenia. Professors and scientists Dr. Garabed Antranikian,  Dr. Mary A. Papazian, Naira Hovakimyan, Armenia’s Men’s Basketball Team head coach Rex Kalamian, comedian Vahe Berberian, rock star Serj Tankian, world known footballer Henrikh Mkhitaryan are among prominent Armenians who have been raising awareness of the public about the Advance Armenia Gala inaugural fundraiser initiated by FAST. 

Advance Armenia Gala aims to attract additional resources for scaling the ADVANCE STEM Research grant program, striving to provide competitive research opportunities to 10 research teams and up to 50 local scientists. The Gala will take place on March 31, 2022, at The Landmark, Los Angeles, CA. The keynote speaker of the evening is Dr. Noubar Afeyan, Co-Founder of FAST, Co-Founder and Chairman of Moderna, Inc. 

Thanks to the generous support of the US company, Reliance, the leading COVID-19 testing services provider, which acts as the Visionary sponsor, two new research projects will be launched. Armenian-American benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Sarkis and Nune Sepetjian representing Turbo Wholesale Tires, Inc. and acting as an Innovator sponsor, will facilitate one more research project to be launched. FAST is also exploring potential research collaborations with UCLA through The Promise Armenian Institute at UCLA. This unique hub for world-class education, research, and outreach on issues related to Armenia and Armenians around the world is ideal for FAST’s mission.

According to Armen Orujyan, Founding CEO of FAST, scientific advancement is an indisputable necessity for Armenia and everyone’s contribution inspires hope in pursuit of success. “Armenia’s prosperity and sustainable future are embedded in the Nation’s scientific and technological advancement. Accordingly, FAST strives to deploy numerous solutions aimed at creating building blocks that will help foster Armenia’s science, innovation, and technology ecosystem. We do believe that through consistent and committed efforts of all constituencies we will be able to empower our brain trust,  promising researchers and innovators, to bring cutting-edge, commercially viable, and globally competitive solutions to life. These joint efforts are crucial in ensuring Armenia’s leapfrogging”, said Armen Orujyan. What is remarkable, Orujyan exclaims,  is that the vision of facilitating the transformation of Armenia through Science and Technology unites people of all backgrounds. 

“Science and technology are driving forces behind modern healthcare innovation. Our Clinical Laboratory industry is benefiting from this advancement. The global pandemic has demonstrated how much the world’s health care system depends on the local advancement in science and technology.  We appreciate FAST’s vision of perceiving Armenia not simply as a territory, but rather as a consciousness that is limitless in its reach, creativity, and resources.  The FAST vision helps to unite people and organizations under the umbrella of their innovative projects,” said Joe Barnes, Founder/CEO of Reliance.

“We share FAST’s vision and goals for Armenia and believe that it is essential to support science and technology advancement in our motherland. As scientific research aims at gaining knowledge and finding solutions to unsolved problems, it will pave a path to many brilliant inventions, bringing progress and innovation to a thriving Armenia”, noted Sarkis and Nune Sepetjian, Turbo Wholesale Tires, Inc.

“Armenians have been making significant contributions to the world in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. UCLA is one of the top institutions in the world across various disciplines, and through The Promise Armenian Institute, we have the potential to connect Armenian researchers of FAST to scientists of the highest caliber from the university for collaboration and mentorship”, mentioned Eric Esrailian, physician, producer, entrepreneur.

An impressive collection of artwork and memorabilia are generously donated by outstanding personalities for silent auction during the gala. Partly a celebration of Armenia’s internationally recognized talent, these offerings from the fields of art, music, cinema, sport and fine beverages, include such gems as the Final Screenplay from Casablanca; Clark Gable’s original autograph and publicity photos; signed memorabilia from Serj Tankian and Henrikh Mkhitaryan and art-works by Kevork George Kassabian, Emil Kazaz and Rebecca Topakian; as well as some of the culturally and historically significant, and rich flavors of Armenian heritage.

In 2020, FAST designed the ADVANCE STEM Research grant program, to set the ground for the development of scientific directions in STEM-related fields in Armenia. The ADVANCE grant connects distinguished international scientists with local researchers for them to form a research group and work jointly on globally competitive research projects. FAST and its partners ensure comprehensive long-term institutional and financial support for the newly formed research groups. Now the amount of the grant is $65,000, but upon a successful fundraising round, FAST will be able to offer each team a grant of up to $125,000 per year. The grant covers salaries for local researchers and repatriated young scientists, laboratory supporting materials, international principal investigator salaries and travel expenses, collaborative research activities abroad, participation in conferences, publication in journals and patenting costs. Up to now 3 ongoing projects in biotechnology, machine learning and computer agriculture have engaged 4 PIs and funded 13 researchers.

***

The Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) is a non-profit organization established in 2017 to help foster and accelerate the advancement of science and technological innovation in Armenia and beyond. FAST has designed and structured numerous programs and initiatives that propel Armenia to advance in Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, and other strategic fields.  Focusing on core science ecosystem drivers – Education, Research, Commercialization – FAST offers a wide range of initiatives to achieve its goal. FAST aims to play a critical role in Armenia’s leapfrog and transformation into a top global innovator by 2041.




Basque politician urges the international community to stop dictator Aliyev

Emil Lazarian

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 18:45,

YEREVAN, 29 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The international community should stop dictator Aliyev not allowing new aggression of Azerbaijan against Artsakh, ARMENPRESS reports member of the Congress of Deputies of Spain, Basque by nationality, Jon Iñarritu said, talking about the situation in Artsakh and the regular hostile actions by Azerbaijan.

“Azerbaijan uses the deviation of the international press on Ukraine in order to attack Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). For weeks, the armed forces of Azerbaijan has been violating the ceasefire agreement signed in November 2020. The international community should stop dictator (satrap) Aliyev.” Basque member of parliament wrote on his twitter page. 

For weeks, Azerbaijan has been consistently aggravating the military, humanitarian and moral situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, trying to intimidate the Armenians of Artsakh by various means. The Artsakh authorities, human rights activists, describe it as a state policy of intimidation against the people of Artsakh.

During the last month, the local population was twice deprived of heating, in particular, gas supply. During that time, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired several times at a number of Armenian settlements and roads. The tension increased sharply when on March 24 the Azerbaijani troops, grossly violating the 2020 agreement, invaded the area of responsibility of the peacekeeping troops of the Russian Federation in the Artsakh Republic, taking control of the village of Parukh in the Askeran region and adjacent positions, then trying to secure advancment on the eastern border of the Artsakh Republic. On March 27, the Russian peacekeeping force announced that as a result of the talks, the Azerbaijani side had withdrawn its units from Parukh.




ANCA: Biden proposes just $24M for Armenia; No figure for Karabakh aid

Emil Lazarian
PanARMENIAN
Armenia,
– 16:26 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Biden Administration called for just $24 million in U.S. assistance to Armenia in the White House Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget proposal released on Monday, March 28 – $21 million less than what Congress allocated and the President approved for FY 2022 just weeks ago, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We are disappointed that President Biden’s annual budget – released in the wake of a government watchdog report documenting over $164,000,000 in U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan – flat-lines U.S. aid to Armenia at just over $24 million and fails to include any specific dollar amount for U.S. assistance to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh – Ed.),” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We look to our Congressional allies, coalition partners, and community activists to work through the foreign aid appropriations process to dramatically boost U.S. aid numbers for both Artsakh and Armenia.”

Similar to his budget request for FY2022, the President’s FY2023 budget includes $23,405,000 in foreign aid and $600,000 in military assistance to Armenia. A separate line item in the budget calls for $6,050,000 in International Narcotics and Law Enforcement spending in Armenia. Following broad-based Congressional outreach by the ANCA and the Armenian American community last year, the final FY2022 aid package for Armenia was increased to $45 million and included an additional $2 million in U.S. demining assistance for those affected by the 2020 Azerbaijan and Turkey-led attacks on Armenia and Artsakh. The ANCA has already issued calls on the White House and Congress for $50 million in US aid to Artsakh, to help resettle the over 100,000 indigenous Artsakh Armenians ethnically cleansed by Azerbaijan in 2020. To join the nationwide call to action, visit anca.org/aid.

By comparison, President Biden requested approximately $9.7 million in U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan for FY2023. This does not include additional funds Azerbaijan receives from the Department of Defense under their Section 333 (Capacity Building) programs.

According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report release in March, Azerbaijan has received over $164 million in U.S. aid under the Section 333 account, the impact of which the Departments of State and Defense failed to disclose to Congress, as required by Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act. The ANCA has called on the Biden Administration to enforce Section 907 restrictions on US aid to Azerbaijan in its fullest capacity.