Author: Garnik Zakarian

Armenia reopens ground borders for foreigners

Garnik Zakarian
TASS, Russia
Jan 13 2021
 
 
 
In August, Armenian authorities allowed entry for foreigners travelling by air
 
 
 
YEREVAN, January 13. /TASS/. The Government of Armenia decided to open its ground borders for foreigners, who previously were barred from entering due to the coronavirus infection, Armenian Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday.
 
“Entry restrictions for foreigners in Armenia are withdrawn; all foreigners now can enter both by air and via ground checkpoints. All foreigners now will be able to visit Armenia, if they have a negative PCR COVID test result, made within last 72 hours,” the Ministry said.
 
In August, Armenian authorities allowed entry for foreigners travelling by air. The quarantine regime was in effect throughout the republic since September 11, 2020. On January 11, despite objections from the Ministry of Economy, the restrictions were extended by six months. Currently, a total of 163,128 COVID cases were registered in Armenia, 485 of them – during the last 24 hours.
 

Film: Watch Armenian director Sergei Parajanov’s masterpiece The Colour of Pomegranates online for free

Garnik Zakarian
Calvert Journal
Jan 8 2021
Watch Armenian director Sergei Parajanov’s masterpiece The Colour of Pomegranates online for free
8 January 2021
Text: Paula Erizanu
Celebrate the 97th birthday of Armenian filmmaker Sergei Parajanov by watching his masterpiece, The Colour of Pomegranates.
 
Viewers in the UK can watch the film for free with English subtitles on Eastern European cinema platform Kino Klassika until 12 January.
 
The poetic film tells the life story of 18th-century Armenian poet Sayat Nova, with visuals rich with poetic symbolism and vivid colour contrasts. The film is also a love letter to traditional Armenian culture, celebrating the country’s music, crafts, churches, and rural life.
 
Born in Georgia on 9 January 1924, Parajanov worked in Ukraine and Armenia before moving into film in 1954. All of his films made between 1965 to 1973 were banned in the Soviet Union, and the director was ultimately imprisoned for four years on charges of rape, homosexuality, and bribery. He was only able to make more films and have them screened in the mid-80s, due to the increased freedom under glasnost. The director died of lung cancer in 1990, just as his films were beginning to circulate and gain recognition at international festivals.

​Aliyev: Specific works being carried out to open Nakhchivan corridor

Garnik Zakarian
News.am, Armenia
Jan 7 2021
 
 
Aliyev: Specific works being carried out to open Nakhchivan corridor
14:55, 07.01.2021
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has stated that Russia, along with Turkey, Armenia and Iran, will be able to use the new transport corridor from Nakhchivan, RIA Novosti reported.
 
Earlier, Aliyev said he had proposed building a corridor connecting Nakhchivan with the western part of Azerbaijan, and that Russian and Turkish Presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan had “responded positively to the idea.”
 
According to him, the opening of this transport corridor will take Nakhchivan out of the blockade, and at the same time, a new transport artery will be opened. “Currently, specific works are being carried out to open the Nakhchivan corridor. I do not want to get ahead of events, but the opening of this corridor is reflected on in the joint statement signed on November 10. That’s why the corridor will definitely open, which will create new opportunities in the region. Azerbaijan as well as Turkey, Russia, Armenia, and Iran will use this road. This road will be of particular importance for multilateral cooperation,” Aliyev said at a videoconference on the results of 2020.
 
On November 9, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement on a complete cessation of hostilities—which Azerbaijan had launched on September 27—in and around Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Accordingly, Russian peacekeepers are deployed in the region to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities. But this statement also stipulates the handover of part of Artsakh lands to Azerbaijan.
 
 
 

CtHR Requests Information on Armenian POWs

Garnik Zakarian
Dec 27 2020

12/27/2020 Nagorno-Karabakh (International Christian Concern) – The European Court of Human Rights granted the request by the Republic of Armenia on December 21st that the Government of Azerbaijan provide information related to prisoners of war (POWs) by December 28th.

These POWs were captured during the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh (Armenian: Artsakh). This territory is internationally recognized as belonging to Azerbaijan, a Turkic Islamic nation, but Karabakh’s demographic is Armenian Christian. Azerbaijan, with the support of Turkey, invaded Karabakh and engaged in a number of activities that were genocidal in nature. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey have made it clear that this invasion is being pursued according to a pan-Islamic Turkic agenda.

Video footage obtained by ICC allegedly showing Armenian prisoners of war experiencing mistreatment at the hands of Azerbaijan show the religious undertones of this conflict. Grey Wolf symbolism features heavily throughout many of these videos. The Grey Wolves are an extremist organization from Turkey who have been involved in major cases of religious freedom violations, including the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II.

https://www.persecution.org/2020/12/27/ecthr-requests-information-armenian-pows/?fbclid=IwAR1ESbyXYR4wKp9FTURRM1GbKwcUgSWtpYpEQndbwZ2tdYfNuMYM-6VLRrQ#.X-jzswYVvVc.facebook

Ukrainian Writers’ Union suspends publication of works by authors from Russia, Belarus, Armenia

Garnik Zakarian
UNIAN Agency, Ukraine
Dec 30 2020
11:55, 30.12.20

Ukraine 1 min. 145

The National Writers’ Union of Ukraine (NWUU) has decided to suspend the publication of works by authors from the countries that do not support the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The following countries are on the list: the Russian Federation, Belarus, Venezuela, Armenia, Zimbabwe, Iran, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, China, North Korea, Cuba, Laos, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Serbia, Syria, and Sudan, the union’s press service said in the Ukrainian Litgazeta online edition.

“Exceptions could be works by deceased authors of classics, as well as contemporary writers from those countries who support the territorial integrity of Ukraine and condemn the Russian Federation’s aggression in public,” it said.

It was also decided not to hold joint events (evenings, round tables, conferences) with the diplomatic missions of the aforementioned countries and prevent NWUU members’ participation in any literary and artistic events initiated by representatives of the countries that support Russian aggression against Ukraine.


Happy Holidays from AUA!

Garnik Zakarian

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Margarit Hovhannisyan|: Communication manager

+374 60 612 514,  

mhovhannisyan  

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American University of Armenia

Republic of Armenia, 0019, Yerevan, Marshal Baghramyan Ave. 40:00

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Parliament of Wallonia (Belgium) condemns Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh

Garnik Zakarian
Public Radio of Armenia
Dec 23 2020
Parliament of Wallonia condemns Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh
The Parliament of Wallonia has strongly and unanimously condemned the Azerbaijani military aggression backed by Turkey against the Armenians of Artsakh, reports the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD).

In particular, the Parliament asks the Walloon government to speak up with the federal government in order to:

– to condemn the military attack on the Republic of Artsakh and any aggression and violation of international humanitarian law and to call on all parties to respect the strictest international humanitarian law in view of foreign interference inciting the parties to armed confrontation, coming from in particular of the Republic of Turkey;

– ensure that no military offensive takes place and that substantive negotiations take place under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group and note that the task of this group is to decide on the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh;

– to encourage the parties to enter into discussions without delay and without any preconditions under the auspices of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group with the participation of representatives of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh, the main population affected by this conflict.

The Parliament also strongly condemns the execution of Prisoners of War and calls on the Belgian government to ensure that such crimes are prosecuted and punished.

It requires Turkey not to promote in any way the potential transfer and settling of Syrian mercenaries to Nagorno-Karabakh and to play an active role in ensuring the return of at least 2,500 Syrian mercenaries who moved to the region during the hostilities to their country of origin.

Finally, it calls on the federal government to support UNESCO so that it intervenes with the authorities of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh in order to guarantee the safeguarding and conservation of the exceptional heritage.

Pashinyan returns from Syunik

Garnik Zakarian

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 14:20,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he is returning from the province of Syunik after visiting the town of Sisian.

Protesters had blocked the road leading to Goris and several other towns.

“Now I am convinced that the road is blocked so that it doesn’t become obvious that the atmosphere in Goris, Kapan, Kajaran and Meghri is the same as in Sisian,” he said, referring to the fact that his supporters had gathered in Sisian.  “Moreover, we won’t resort to forceful actions amid mourning. We are returning to Yerevan. I owe a visit to Goris, Kapan, Kajaran and Meghri. Peace be upon our martyrs,” Pashinyan said on social media.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh deliver humanitarian aid to Martakert town

Garnik Zakarian

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 13:00, 16 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The servicemen of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno Karabakh have delivered humanitarian aid packages, including food and first aid items, to the town of Martakert, the Russian defense ministry reports.

Food and essentials were handed over to the residents of Nagorno Karabakh who have returned back home. More than 100 families received humanitarian aid.

The medical units of the Russian defense ministry continue providing care to the residents of Stepanakert and Martakert.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Not a single meter from the territory of Armenia will be ceded – Defense Minister

Garnik Zakarian
Public Radio of Armenia
Dec 17 2020
Not a single meter from the territory of the Republic of Armenia will be ceded, Armenia’s Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan said at a meeting with the heads of a number of communities of Syunik province.

The participants of the meeting presented to the Minister of Defense their concerns about the difficult situation created in the region due to the border adjustments. The community leaders reported that due to the border changes, a number of settlements will be targeted by the enemy, including the regional center Kapan.

The Minister of Defense noted that the border is being adjusted in the presence of high-ranking officers of both sides, that not a single meter will be conceded from the territory of the Republic of Armenia. He stressed that these areas will be controlled by the Russian border guards, and a relevant agreement has already been reached. The Minister said it will create additional guarantees to strengthen the security system.

Vagharshak Harutyunyan noted that a whole complex of measures is being taken to ensure the security of these zones, in particular, new military units are being formed, new infrastructure is being created, and this process will be continuous.