Author: George Mamian

CivilNet: Why Armenian Military Equipment Samples Didn’t Reach the Abu Dhabi Expo

George Mamian
CIVILNET.AM

02:47

Due to logistical issues, samples of Armenia’s military equipment did make it to Abu Dhabi in time for IDEX-2021, an international defense exhibition and conference, Armenia’s Ministry of High-Tech Industry said Monday.

IDEX is a program for the Middle East North Africa countries, aimed at showcasing the latest defense technology across land, sea, and air sectors. It’s a platform to establish and strengthen relationships with government departments, businesses, and armed forces throughout the region, according to the organizer’s website.

There was buzz online about Armenia’s section at the conference being empty, with negative comparisons being drawn to the Azerbaijani section. Many blamed the Armenian government for not properly preparing for this major expo which is a chance to establish partnerships and attract investments. 

In response, the Ministry issued a statement, clarifying the reason for the empty booth.

“Regarding Armenia’s participation in the IDEX-2021 international military-industrial exhibition, in particular, the absence of exhibits in the pavilion of Armenian companies, we want to clarify the following: The transfer of the exhibits was organized in advance, with the calculation that the items would be in place within the set period, before the opening of the exhibition,” the Ministry said in a Facebook post. 

An official investigation was launched to find out the circumstances of what happened.

Despite the hurdles, Armenian companies are working effectively to present themselves properly at the exhibition, according to the Ministry.

Armenian NPP prepares for life extension

George Mamian
Nuclear Engineering International
Feb 18 2021
18 February 2021

The scheduled repair and maintenance outage at the Armenian nuclear power plant this year will be longer than usual, lasting 141 days to allow for modernisation to extend the life of the plant plant, including the annealing of the reactor vessel. These and other strategically important issues were discussed on 15 February during a visit to the plant by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures of Armenia Suren Papikyan and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Armenia, Sergei Kopyrkin. The general contractor for the modernisation is Rusatom Service JSC, which is a part of Rosatom.

“The past year was not easy due to the pandemic, but we did a lot through joint efforts with Armenian nuclear scientists,” said Evgeny Salkov, General Director of Rusatom Service. “A large amount of work was carried out: the overhaul of the turbine generator was completed, an instrumental examination of the drives of the control and protection systems of the reactor was carried out, the instruments for non-destructive testing of metal were checked. Also, the plant was prepared for the modernisation of the reactor core emergency cooling system and for the annealing of the reactor vessel. An annealing unit was delivered to the station, and work on its assembly has already been completed,” he noted.

“Before the plant shutdown, it is still necessary to modernise the 250-ton cranes in the reactor hall, which are necessary for the installation of the annealing unit. It will also be necessary to unload fuel and heavy equipment from the reactor,” said plant General Director Eduard Martirosyan. “After the successful implementation of all planned activities this year, the State Committee for Nuclear Safety Regulation under the Government of Armenia will extend the licence for the operation of the station until 2026. In addition, after the annealing procedure at the NPP, the physical and mechanical properties of the reactor vessel will be restored so that the plant can be operated after 2026.”

The Armenian NPP, with two Soviet-supplied VVER-440-V230 units was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988. However, unit 2 was recommissioned with Russian help in 1995 in face of severe energy shortages. In March 2014, the Armenian government decided to extend the plant’s service life up to 2026. The work, now underway, was supported by a Russian loan and grant. The NPP currently accounts for 39% of Armenia’s total electricity generation.

Strong winds pound Yerevan

George Mamian

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 10:16,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. Winds up to 25 m/s have caused damages in Yerevan Wednesday morning. The damages occurred in the Charbakh district, according to images provided by the Hydro-Meteorological and Monitoring Center.

“As forecast, strong winds are currently observed in most parts of the country, and the speed reaches 25 m/s in individual areas,” the agency said.

The winds are expected to fade away after midday.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Asbarez: Dzovinar Christian Education Building in Armenia Refurbished

George Mamian

February 15,  2021



Students at the Dzovinar Christian Education Center in Ghegharkounik Province

Dr. Neshan Tabibian and his son Dr. Hagop Tabibian, of Burbank, California, have made a donation of $35,000 to refurbish the Dzovinar Christian Education Building located in Armenia’s Geghargunik Province. The building is used by more than 100 children daily who receive Christian education.

Father Kevork Ter Parseghyan, the parish priest in charge of this Christian Education Project started teaching the students in a home in Dzovinar. As the number of students grew the city gave the project a building that needed a great deal of repair to make it usable. Over the years parishioners of St. Paul Armenian church and other parishes in the United States helped to fund some improvements to the building and the play yard.

Doctors Neshan and Hagop Tabibian donated $35,000 to refurbish the facility

Dr. Neshan Tabibian visited Dzovinar and was very impressed with how the children were learning under difficult conditions and as a result he and his son decided to create a modern and safe environment for the children to learn in every day after school.

With the generous $35,000 contribution that the Tabibians made in the past year the project truly came to reality. The painting and repair of all floors and walls, windows, electrical, etc. quickly took place. Once that phase was completed, then desks, chairs, computers, bookcases and all other furniture needed to make the classrooms and meeting hall totally usable were placed in the building in their appropriate rooms.

Today, each day after school students from elementary to high school age gather to use the facilities to learn more about their Armenian Christian beliefs.

Turkey No Longer Has Reason to Keep Border Closed, Says Yerevan

George Mamian

February 10,  2021



Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ara Aivazyan

“Turkey no longer has any reason to keep its border with Armenia closed,” said Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ara Aivazyan on Wednesday, referencing the blockade Ankara has imposed on Armenia since 1993.

“As you are aware, the blockade—the closure of the border—was the result of the Nagorno-Karabakh status quo, which has changed through a use of force. Turkey therefore no longer has any reason to keep its border with Armenia closed,” Aivazyan said in parliament in response to a question by former My Step lawmaker Gor Gevorgyan, adding that “no process in underway” to normalize relations.

Aivazyan added that the government’s main goal is to do everything to further strengthen the security environment around Armenia and Artsakh.

“This isn’t an easy issue. Naturally, as a state, as a society, we must seek to make every effort for the situation to move toward de-escalation. Our diplomacy will make active efforts in order for a favorable environment to exist around us for strengthening Armenia’s security,” he said.

Aivazyan also expressed concern over joint Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises currently underway in Kars, adjacent to the Armenia-Turkey border, which Ankara has described as an effort to “coordinate efforts during joint operations and to test new weapons and equipment.”

“Any military exercises give cause for concern, and we, on the one hand, see such manifestations, and on the other hand we see various messages coming from Turkey,” explained Aivazyan.

Aivazyan believes that it is customary in diplomacy to convey certain messages, but, taking into account the factor of Turkey, the time has come to be guided not by messages, but, first of all, by actions.

Turkey militarily supported Azerbaijan’s aggressive attack on Artsakh last fall and it also funded the deployment of Islamist Jihadists, who fought alongside Azerbaijani forces. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has praised Azerbaijan and dedicated Baku’s “victory” over Armenia to Enver Pasha, one of the architects of the Armenian Genocide.

On January 11, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed another agreement with Russia and Azerbaijan that began the process of opening Armenia’s border with Azerbaijan, whose leader Ilham Aliyev immediately hailed as an opportunity for Turkey to have easy access to Armenia.

With his statement on Wednesday, Aivazyan effectively has concurred with Ankara that the Karabakh conflict has been settled in Turkey’s favor.

While, per Aivazyan, Turkey may not have a reason to keep its border with Armenia closed, shouldn’t Armenia have a reason to keep it shut?

How Armenia will look after servicemen injured in Karabakh, families of the fallen

George Mamian
JAM News
Feb 11 2021
    JAMnews, Yerevan

Armenia will provide state aid to servicemen who were injured during the second Karabakh war and fully cover the cost of their treatment.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has begun accepting applications and will soon begin to issue compensation in the amount of 500,000 drams (about 1,000 dollars) to all who were injured during the war in Karabakh.

A large-scale military escalation in Karabakh began on September 27 and lasted 44 days. It became known as ‘the second Karabakh war’. The hostilities were stopped after the heads of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed a joint statement on November 10.

The Ministry of Defense reports that payments to all reservists called up during the second Karabakh war are almost complete.

Families with missing persons for six months will be paid 300,000 drams (about $600) every month. Payments started in December 2020.

If a missing soldier is never found and is declared dead, their families will receive permanent payments from the Life and Health Insurance Fund. Families of prisoners will receive the same assistance until they return to their homeland.

  • New rules for entering Nagorno-Karabakh
  • The fight for Karabakh is over, but the battle with PTSD is just beginning

Helping the wounded

One-time aid in the amount of 500,000 drams is intended for those wounded who do not have disabilities. Those who received more serious injuries that led to disability will receive larger amounts.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs will accept online applications until April 15. They can be sent on the website ssa.am by going to the section “Applications for assistance to people injured in Artsakh”.

After providing the necessary information, everyone who submitted an application will be informed from the ministry about the decision – whether they are entitled to assistance or not.

Payments to reservists

Armenian Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan said that almost all reservists who were called up during the second Karabakh war have already received corresponding payments.

Only 3-4% of the funds have not paid because some reservists did not provide personal data or did not register after arriving at one or another military unit. And as soon as the necessary information is received, payments will go to the indicated accounts, the minister assures.

Tigran Abrahamyan: Public trust in Defense Ministry continues to decline due to ‘active efforts’ of its leadership

George Mamian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 13 2021

The public trust in Armenia’s Defense Ministry continues to decline due to “active efforts” of its leadership, according to Henaket Analytical Center head Tigran Abrahamyan.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, the analyst accused the ministry of spreading “disinformation” and failing to disclose border incidents to the public.

“The Khndzoresk village municipality reported on its Facebook page about an incident between the village shepherd and the Azeri troops (the Azeris seized his sheep and later returned them). It said the border guards and the command of the 1st Army Corps responded to the incident, resolving the issue through negotiations,” Abrahamyan wrote.

“Incidentally, the Armenian Defense Ministry said in a statement that “the operational situation remained stable along the entire length of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on February 11 and 12. No border incidents were registered.”

“I don’t understand why the Defense Ministry continues to spread disinformation. What is the point of it? This is the second or third case when the ministry spreads information that does not correspond to reality.

“The previous one concerned an incident involving two Azerbaijani servicemen who were arrested in Tegh community of Syunik. Two days after the incident, they were handed over to Azerbaijan, however no official statements were made on any of them. Moreover, in its daily statement the Defense Ministry said no incidents had been recorded.

“Why do you issue statements on the border situation every single day, if in many cases they do not correspond to reality?” the analyst said, stating the public trust in the Defense Ministry continues to decline due to “active efforts” of its leadership. 

‘My goal is to participate in world and Europe championships’ – Armenian freestyle wrestler

George Mamian

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 14:13,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Member of Armenia’s freestyle wrestling team Razmik Papikyan says one of his priorities this year is to participate in the world and European championships.

He told Armenpress that currently he is in a good shape and has already started to prepare for the international tournament which will be held this month. “We didn’t stop the trainings also during the coronavirus-related restrictions. We were training in the fresh air and were using every possible occasion to train in our gyms. I am in a good shape now”, he said.

On February 10 Razmik Papikyan received a title of sports master by the respective decrees of the President and the minister of education, science, culture and sport.

“My goal is to have a good participation to this year’s world and Europe championships”, he added.

The 61-weight freestyle wrestler has made his first international performance in Stockholm in 2016 at the U18 Europe Championship where he won a silver medal. He is the 5th prize winner of the World Cup.

Armenian, Russian, Azerbaijani Deputy PMs hold second meeting

George Mamian
Public Radio of Armenia
Feb 12 2021

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Mher Grigoryan, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev chaired the second session of the tripartite working group on February 12. The meeting was held in a video conference format.

During the session the sides discussed the process of the joint work based on the 9th point of November 9, 2020 trilateral statement signed by the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan, as well as points 2, 3 and 4 of January 9 statement.

Russia confirms over 4 mln COVID-19 cases since start of pandemic

George Mamian

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 13:13,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Russia confirmed 14,494 COVID-19 cases over the past day and the total case tally reached 4,012,710, TASS reports citing the anti-coronavirus crisis center.

For the first time since October 17 the daily case tally was below 15,000. In relative terms the growth rate in new cases stood at 0.36%.

Moscow confirmed 1,441 COVID-19 cases in the past day. 

Currently, 418,115 people are undergoing treatment in Russia.