Author: Emil Lazarian

 13:57,

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the issue of the status of Nagorno Karabakh was essentially left out from the dimension of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmanship format talks as of 2016.

Pashinyan was making the comments in parliament when asked by MP Vahagn Alexanyan on what took place in the negotiations process in 2016.

“What was the leitmotif of the 1998 events, Levon-Ter Petrosyan thought that the issue must be solved in a phased option, Serzh Sargsyan, Robert Kocharyan and the then-authorities of Artsakh were saying no, they weren’t accepting this, and that the issue must be accepted in a package option. And this became the leitmotif,” Pashinyan said.

According to the PM, the title of the negotiations document on his table was: “On the first phase and further steps of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement” – translating from Russian – On the First Phase and Future Steps of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.”

“Meaning, the person who said that a phased solution is defeatism left in 2018 a document on the negotiations table that was titled that way. Meaning, the person who was carrying out a regime change against the phased solution again reached the phased solution. But there are so many splits in this phased solution. It is a question whether or not Azerbaijan agrees to this. They say they will solve the Karabakh issue this or that way, so why haven’t you. They forget  that they are presenting the ideas in unsigned papers as victory,” the PM said.

Speaking on the role of the Co-Chairs, the PM said: “They take the ideas of the sides, try to refine them and put it on paper. We can have all kinds of ideas. But as of 2018 the entirety of the Karabakh issue was so much split up, it wasn’t a phased option, it was rather a hyper-phased option. Meaning, from the 1998 phased option we reached the 2016 hyperphased option,” the PM said.

Speaking about a brief description of the 2016 events, he said: “In January the Co-Chairs present a negotiations package, the meaning of which is that Nagorno Karabakh will not have an interim status. The Armenian side naturally rejected it. Two months after presenting it the April War began, and then in July the second package is presented, where it is recorded that again Karabakh will not have an interim status. In August, the third package is presented where a new component is added to the negotiations papers – a UN Security Council draft resolution.”

Pashinyan cited former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s narrative during a 2017 interview that the status of Karabakh will be determined by the international community.

“This is what Levon Ter-Petrosyan meant most likely. Meaning, the NK status issue was essentially left out from the dimension of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship format talks as of 2016. The issue was left out, that issue must be solved by the international community. But the international community must solve as part of several undeniable principles that in Karabakh as of 1988 there were also Azerbaijanis that left.  In the international community’s understanding it is impossible to address this issue without the protection of the rights of the Azerbaijanis of Nagorno Karabakh. And, essentially, this is all in the negotiations package,” the PM said, adding that this is included in the Madrid Principles as well.

Pashinyan said that there hasn’t even been any option that would even be unacceptable for Armenia but acceptable for Azerbaijan.

Speaking about the question addressed to his administration on how they fell into a trap in 2019, Pashinyan said: “What’s falling in a trap? That a negotiations package appears by which Armenia is expected to surrender seven regions to Azerbaijan. Serzh Sargsyan says how come we fell into the trap. We weren’t in a trap, that paper recorded what Serzh Sargsyan announced from this rostrum. That was the result of his last negotiations because as of 2019 we hadn’t even started negotiating. As of 2019 when that document was put on the table we hadn’t yet talked about substantive negotiations at all,” he said.

Speaking on the questions whether or not the war could’ve been prevented, PM Pashinyan said: “We could’ve prevented the war as a result of which we would have had this same situation, without the victims. The same situation, with all questions and nuances.”

 18:39,

YEREVAN, 13 APRIL, ARMENRPRESS. In the framework of the visit to the Russian Federation, Minister of Economy of Armenia Vahan Kerobyan and deputy minister Narek Teryan met with Minister of Industry and trade Denis Manturov of Russian Federation.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Ministry of Economy of Armenia, the sides discussed the state of the trade cooperation between Armenia and Russia, as well as priority directions of common activities.

“In 2021 the mutual trade between Armenia and Russia increased by 12.7%, amounting to 2.5 billion dollars. The export of Russian industrial production on a yearly basis increased by 14%, and the import of Armenian goods also increased by 10%.

During the meeting Vahan Kerobyan gladly emphasized the fact of the significant increase of trade turnover and expressed concern with the noticeable decrease of indicators in March, offering to carry out work on urgently eliminating the reasons for the decrease and restore growth”, the message says.

The interlocutors referred to a number of common programmes in different fields. Denis Manturov highlighted the development of cooperation in mining, metallurgy, chemical industry and agricultural machine building.

At the end of the meeting Denis Manturov invited Vahan Kerobyan to participate in the upcoming “INNOPROM. Central Asia” international industry exhibition in Tashkent.

 09:57,

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Despite the current economic crisis and complex situation in Lebanon, the local Armenian community is going to hold a big march on April 24 – the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, Editor-in-Chief of the Lebanon-based Azdag daily Shahan Gantaharyan said in an interview to Armenpress, adding that a program of Armenian Genocide commemoration events has been prepared.

The march is being organized by three Armenian parties. It will start early morning on April 24, from Bourj Hammoud district to Antelias – the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia.

“It is a march for demand, for protection of rights, dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. The march will be followed by a mass in the Catholicosate where Catholicos Aram I is expected to deliver remarks. An event is also planned on April 23. The youth and student unions of the community will gather near the chapel dedicated to the Genocide victims. There will be speeches and artistic program during the event”, he said.

In their April 24^th addresses, Lebanese-Armenians will not only remember the victims of the Armenian Genocide, will not only talk about Turkey’s denialist policy, but also will raise the issue of ongoing encroachments carried out by Azerbaijan against Armenians of Artsakh.

“Of course, the speeches will also focus on Artsakh. Today we are witnessing a policy of ethnic cleansing against Armenians living in Artsakh, as well as border encroachments. The Armenian National Committees are working actively to present the danger of ethnic cleansing to international organizations. Today Artsakh is facing a serious security problem”, Shahan Gantaharyan said.

April 24 marks the 107^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide organized and committed by the Ottoman Empire.

Interview by Anna Gziryan

 10:30,

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Both opposition blocs of the Armenian parliament announced that they are boycotting the parliament session and will instead travel to border towns of Armenia and to Artsakh.

Hayastan faction leader Seyran Ohanyan said that Armenia and Artsakh are facing the most serious challenges and cited the “red lines” which they had stated during their latest rally in Yerevan.

“The provisions stipulated in the Consitution of Armenia, our territorial integrity, sovereignty, are not for bargain, we find unacceptable any option of resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict that would make Artsakh part of Azerbaijan,” Ohanyan said.

Ohanyan accused the Pashinyan administration in being incapable of solving numerous foreign and domestic issues. He said the latest developments show that everything is proceeding by the “Azeri-Turkish agenda”.

“Based on this situation, the parliamentary opposition announces that it won’t participate in this week’s sessions and votes, we are going to Artsakh and to border provinces of Armenia,” Ohanyan said.

Secretary of Pativ Unem bloc Hayk Mamijanyan also announced that they won’t participate in the sessions. He said their lawmakers are also traveling to Artsakh.

Meanwhile, ruling Civil Contract bloc lawmaker Vagharshak Hakobyan accused the opposition MPs in “endangering the citizens of Artsakh and Armenia” by traveling to Artsakh.

“A narrative was voiced here, that they are traveling to Artsakh to follow the most important agenda and to protect the citizens of Artsakh. I’d like to argue the contrary, by traveling to Artsakh now they are endangering the citizens of the Republic of Artsakh and the citizens of the Republic of Armenia. Take this into consideration,” Hakobyan said.

 18:01,

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan introduced the newly appointed Minister Armen Pambukhchyan to the staff of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister wished success to Mr. Pambukhchyan in his important work and expressed hope that during his tenure the efficiency of the Ministry of Emergency Situations will increase.

“Usually, on similar occasions, we appoint a new minister, see off the old minister, thank him for the work done. You know that in this case we have a slightly different, unusual or even unprecedented situation. And I have to tell you honestly and sincerely that I am very sorry for such a development. Personally for me what happened is very painful in terms of both morality and politics. You know that after the 44-day war, I offered Mr. Piloyan the post of Minister of Emergency Situations, I entrusted that post, and we worked during this period in an atmosphere of mutual respect. But I think we must clearly state that finally the rule of law in the Republic of Armenia should not be just words, equality before the law should not be just words, after all, it’s the case now and was that before these events. I hope that we all understand this message very clearly and directly”, the Prime Minister said.

According to Nikol Pashinyan, it is clear that nowhere in the Republic of Armenia there is a very high level of welfare. “Moreover, we are a country that has problems with poverty, social problems, and serious security challenges in general. We must understand that each of us is required to make great efforts, and yes, to go through great deprivations in order to be able to solve the challenges facing our country, to solve the problems in the public administration system, to increase its efficiency, and finally make our service to the people more and more effective. I think this should be today’s main message.

Mr. Pambukhchyan, I wish good luck to you and the entire staff of the Ministry. And I want to say that talking about the rule of law, let’s not forget about the presumption of innocence, because according to the legislation of the Republic of Armenia, any person is innocent until his guilt is confirmed by a verdict that has entered into force. Let’s be guided by this presumption,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

Armen Pambukhchyan thanked the Prime Minister for the great confidence and assured that he will spare no effort and energy to justify the expectations of the PM and the society. “I am not new to this ministry, I am fully aware of all the tasks and priorities. I would like to note that during my tenure I will be guided by the agenda and values adopted by the Government and the political team,” the newly appointed Minister of Emergency Situations said.