Author: Emma Jilavian

 17:15, 8 December, 2021

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. US Congressman Frank Pallone commented on the statements of Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev again containing threats against Armenia.

“Aliyev is using his media mouthpiece to level threats of violence against Armenia unless he gets his way. He’s a bad faith actor who clearly isn’t interested in a negotiated peace”, the Congressman said on Twitter, calling on the State Department and other world leaders to use tough diplomacy and act to deter this behavior.

The Azerbaijani president has once again presented demands and threats against Armenia. On December 7 the Armenian Foreign Ministry commented on Aliyev’s statement, who demanded that Armenia should accept the terms of Azerbaijan and announce a specific date for the opening of the so-called “Zangezur corridor”. The Foreign Ministry said that Aliyev’s statements contradict the agreements which were reached recently in Sochi by the Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani leaders.

 11:44, 2 December, 2021

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan introduced today newly-appointed Governor of Armavir province Eduard Hovhannisyan to members of the Cabinet at today’s session.

“Until summer of this year Eduard Hovhannisyan was serving as the Chairman of the State Revenue Committee. Congratulations, Mr. Hovhannisyan, on your appointment, I wish you success”, the PM said.

In his turn Eduard Hovhannisyan thanked the PM for such an opportunity.

“The effective provincial, territorial administration is one of the key directions of the development of our country’s economy, the state-building”, Hovhannisyan said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 18:56, 3 December, 2021

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS. On December 3, 2021, Seyran Smbat Sargsyan, born in 1956, a resident of Chartar settlement of the Martuni district of the Republic of Artsakh, was grazing his cattle and as a result of being lost was captured and killed by Azerbaijani military units, ARMENPRESS reports the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh said in a statement.

“Such a terrorist and barbaric act is a manifestation of the state level genocidal and anti-Armenian policy in Azerbaijan, which was carried out at the instructions of the highest authorities of Azerbaijan. One of the evidences of it is the false statement spread by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, which justifies the terrorist act of the Azerbaijani military.

This behavior of official Baku is a gross violation of international law, international humanitarian law, disrespect for all the agreements reached and is aimed at intimidating the people of Artsakh and forcing them to leave their homeland.

Such a policy is also a severe blow to Russia’s peacekeeping mission.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh strongly condemns the terrorist policy of Azerbaijan, calls on the international community to give an adequate assessment to the unbridled actions of Azerbaijan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges the people of Artsakh not to give in to provocations. The Foreign Ministry declares once again that Artsakh was, is and will remain Armenian. Nothing can undermine our will and determination to live in our homeland”, reads the statement.

 15:57,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received today the delegation led by the European Union’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, Toivo Klaar, the PM’s Office reports.

During the meeting the Prime Minister assessed the Armenia-EU cooperation as effective and in the context of development of bilateral partnership attached importance to the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit to be held in Brussels.

The EU Special Representative conveyed the greetings of the European Council President Charles Michel to the Armenian PM and reaffirmed the EU readiness to continue the efforts for strengthening the Armenia-EU ties.

Nikol Pashinyan and Toivo Klaar also exchanged views on the bilateral relations and the regional affairs.

Issues relating to the agenda of the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit, scheduled for December 15, were discussed during the meeting.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

United States Senator Bob Menendez highlights need to pass NDAA amendment cutting aid to Azerbaijan

 09:54, 18 November, 2021

WASHINGTON, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. United States Senator Bob Menendez, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has once again emphasized the need to cut U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan following the latest attacks on Armenia.

“Reports of Armenian casualties and Armenian soldiers taken as political prisoners by Azerbaijan are deeply concerning,” the Senator said in a statement released on social media.  “Defense aid to Azerbaijan helps enable these heinous acts against ethnic Armenians. It is time to pass my NDAA amendment cutting this aid.”

On November 4, Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) announced two of the foreign policy amendments he is filing to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). As the primary vehicle for authorizing defense spending for Fiscal Year 2022, Chairman Menendez’s proposed changes to the NDAA seek to significantly improve the U.S. government’s ability to track and assess the national security implications of the proliferation of Turkey’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program, as well as to prevent further exceptions to bypass a 1992 law banning U.S. military assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan. 

        Amendment Ending 907 Waiver: Prohibits the continued use of an exemption waiver of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act. Section 907, which has been law since 1992, bans most assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan until it takes demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The Government of Azerbaijan has clearly not taken these steps, yet assistance to that government has skyrocketed in recent years.

“As the regime in Baku, with Turkey’s support, continues choosing a path of violence instead of a peaceful, negotiated process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is long past time for this and all future administrations to halt this type of assistance and fully respect Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act,” said Menendez. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to make sure this year’s NDAA continues to advance U.S. national security and foreign policy interests all while representing a prudent use of U.S. taxpayer dollars.”

       Amendment on Turkey’s Drone Program: Mandates the State Department and Pentagon report on Turkish drone exports since 2018 and whether those drones contain parts or technology manufactured by U.S. firms. The amendment also requires State to determine whether Turkey’s exports are a violation of the Arms Export Control Act or any other U.S. law or sanctions. Turkish drones played a decisive role in last year’s war between Armenian and Azerbaijan. Since then, Poland, Morocco, and Ukraine have purchased the Bayraktar TB2 and several other countries have expressed interest, including Angola, Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, and Rwanda.

“Turkey’s drone sales are dangerous, destabilizing and a threat to peace and human rights,”  added Menendez. “The U.S. should have no part of it, and this amendment is a recognition that we must prevent U.S. parts from being included in these Turkish weapons.”

Editing by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:03, 18 November, 2021

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government today approved the 2021-2026  draft action plan.

Introducing the details of the plan at the Cabinet meeting today, Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan said that the package covers the strategic goals, the actions for achieving those goals, the expected results, timeframes and financial sources.

A total of 439 goals have been set, the action plan consists of 1276 measures.

“I would like to note that this action plan also reflects the implementation process of Armenia’s commitments assumed by the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the EU, as well as the actions to be taken within the 2.6 billion Euro aid package to be provided to Armenia under the EU economic and investment plan. This document is in accordance with both the main provisions of the EAEU strategic programs and also the strategic partnership frameworks approved by the international organizations and donors for Armenia, in particular in terms of political targets and goals”, deputy PM Grigoryan said.  

He emphasized that this document must become the government’s main working plan.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in his turn noted that everything connected with this action plan has been discussed publicly.

“The action plan includes all those measures which we have announced publicly, such as investments in education, science, infrastructure development, social assistance and other areas”, the PM said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan