14:26,
YEREVAN, JULY 27, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian signed a number of laws on July 27, the Presidential Office told Armenpres.
The laws concern making changes and amendments to the Laws on Advertisement, SNCOs, Military-Industrial Complex, Defense, the Labor Code, etc.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Lara Tcholakian is the Human Resources Department Manager at Viva-MTS, the leading telecommunications company and digital services provider in Armenia. She is from Canada and has been living in Armenia for 16 years.
She talks to CivilNet’s Ani Paitjan about her journey to Armenia and the challenges as a female leader.
Ambassador of Armenia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the OPCW Tigran Balayan has authored an article in Nederlands Dagblad newspaper on the recent escalation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
Panorama.am presents the article in its entirety in English below:
“While the rest of the world is trying to address the coronavirus crisis and its consequences on July 12 the armed forces of Azerbaijan, after artillery shelling, attempted to conquer Armenian border posts. There was a lot of damage and sixteen lives lost on both sides. This was a clear violation of the trilateral truce concluded in 1994.
This ceasefire ended the war between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh, which was supported by Armenia. Almost four year war had preceded, with 35,000 killed. Azerbaijan started that war in response to the intention of the people of Nagorno Karabakh to reunite with Armenia. In 1921 it was separated from Armenia and given to Azerbaijan by Soviet leader Stalin.
The artillery violence is also a violation of the international humanitarian law, because it targeted civilian infrastructure, including villages and homes have been shelled and directly endanger lives.
Armenia has made numerous attempts to draw the attention of other countries to the threat of large-scale violence and called for immediate action. Nevertheless, the mentioned provocation of the armed forces of Azerbaijan to destabilize the situation on the border came as a surprise for the international community The signs, however, were obvious. Azerbaijan faced a financial (licences of 4 banks were revoked) and political crisis, involving tough action against the opposition. Also sharply declining oil prices and the country suffered from the pandemic.
Borders were closed, so Azeris sometimes were stuck a few meters away from the national border and denied access to their homeland. In this situation, the Azerbaijani authorities stepped up their rhetoric, even launching claims about the territory of Armenia. Also large scale military exercises were held (with more than 10,000 soldiers) in the border area. All this to distract the attention of the public from the various crises and protest of the population on tackling COVID-19.
The neglect of human lives and absence of any responsibility of one’s action is vividly expressed in the statement of the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan: “Armenia should not forget that our rockets are directed to its Nuclear Power plant, and we can fire them causing a catastrophe for Armenia”. Azerbaijan has been saying for years that the nuclear power plant poses a threat to the surrounding area, but experts of the International Atomic Energy Agency consider the plant as safe.
Another worrying aspect is the provocative role of Turkey in which the highest political and military leaders openly encourage use of force and promise all possible support in an eventual war against Armenia. Erdogan says: “We will never leave our brother, Azerbaijan, alone. We will support Azerbaijan till the end.”.
Fighter planes and espionage drones have been flying in recent days above the unilaterally closed border between Turkey and Armenia. In support of Azerbaijan, Turkey closed its border with Armenia during the war in 1993. The supply of arms to Azerbaijan has also intensified: a dangerous behavior of a NATO member state that has not been condemned by its allies.
Further intensification of this conflict and its eventual expansion will only lead to a humanitarian disaster with deadly victims and refugee flows.
The message of Armenia is unequivocal: There is no alternative to a peaceful settlement.
We remain committed to this and are working on de-escalation and on an environment, which promotes peace. The international community should support this narrative and urge all sides to strengthen the 1994 ceasefire regime, agree to the proposal on deployment of the OSCE monitors along the trenches, as well as establish an OSCE investigative mechanism into alleged ceasefire violations. Only in this way a lasting peace will be in the sight.
Turkije slaat zorgelijke oorlogstaal uit in conflict tussen Armenië en Azerbeidzjanhttps://
BY SOSE´ HOVANNISIAN
On March 12, Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School Principal Sossi Shanlian announced a two-week hiatus due to the increasing risks of the coronavirus.
Some of the students quietly cheered, thinking this was nothing more than an early spring break; little did they know that the gloomy, rainy day would be our last on campus.
During those two weeks, while the student body reveled in the surprise mini-vacation, the administration and faculty remained at school, busily implementing a remote learning program in the event of an extended stay-at-home order. And as fate would have it, that is exactly what happened.
Based in large part on the expertise of technology director Ara Chouljian, Ferrahian promptly and smoothly transitioned its classes into a virtual format through a software program known as Zoom. The teachers, too, were quick to hone their remote instruction skills and enabled a largely seamless transition. As formal online sessions began after two weeks, our sophomore class jumped into graphing logarithms and finishing Orwell’s 1984 from the comfort of our own homes, and for some, from our beds.
But of course, nothing beats being at school. Walking into our small and happy gym and classrooms every morning was comforting. Ferrahian is, after all, our home. And so while we were blessed to have been given the best remote instruction available, we collectively yearned to return to our school, where the hallways have always been filled with laughter and the sound of slamming lockers, where the gym echoes with the sounds of spirited Armens basketball practices, and where the students come together as one large extended family.
The pandemic has deprived all of us of our Armenian school experience. What I will miss most is that “perfect ending to a school year.” Our last day of school would always consist of smiles, tears, pot lucks, and unprecedented water fights, which Vice-Principal Baron Nalbandian was never too fond of. Unfortunately, none of that happened this year. Junior Tara Ourfalian added, “Our class was extremely disheartened to hear that our very highly anticipated trip to Armenia would have to be canceled as well. Throughout high school, we have all looked forward to when we would visit our mother country and finally embrace our nation’s rich culture and history in person rather than through a textbook.”
Nevertheless, students also recognized and appreciated the efforts made by the school during these challenging times.
“Completing school in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and nationwide quarantine wasn’t something we were used to, but with the patience and endurance from our teachers, we got it done,” said 10th grader Alicia Manouk.
Junior Eric Yenikomshian also saw the silver lining of this otherwise dreary time
“I have learned to be a more patient person, and am more appreciative of the basic yet essential aspects of life, such as having the comfort of a home, availability of food and water, and a loving family. Online schooling at Ferrahian was also a huge success as I was able to continue my education thanks to the help of our hardworking teachers and staff who assigned just the right amount of work and prepared us for our AP exams,” said Yenikomshian.
His classmate, Alec Minassian, said, “The teachers have offered a quick and productive transition into an entirely new landscape, and although we miss the social interaction, the way we’ve found comfort in this new endeavor has genuinely changed the student body for the better.”
Naturally, the interruption of the school calendar was most detrimental to our graduating middle school and senior classes. After all, this was to be the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice.
“As an eighth-grade student, I along with my classmates were impatiently waiting for our East Coast Trip and Promotion to High School,” eighth-grade graduate Aiki Kassabian explained.
“Events such as senior prom, grad night, verchin zank (the last bell), and my graduation, which I had been looking forward to since the sixth grade, were taken from me,” said graduating senior Hoorig Sarkissian, who will be attending UCLA in the fall.
Still, even these graduating students emphasized their appreciation for their Ferrahian experience. Regarding her eighth-grade class graduation, Kassabian added, “We were pleased with our drive-through graduation at school. Short and sweet, our class made memories with that drive-by that we can happily look back at in a few years.”
The teachers, too, had positive experiences during this time.
“While remote learning made it difficult to monitor student engagement, especially with students’ videos turned off during Zoom sessions, and limited face to face interactions, discussions, and collaboration, the online platforms allowed for shorter synchronous class time, and the ability for students to work at their own pace. My students impressed me with their honest, positive, enthusiastic, open-minded approach to the challenges of online learning, but we all look forward to the day where we can return to our safe, lively, student-centered classroom,” high school English Teacher Arpine Barseghyan, explained.
Science Department Head, Rozi Ourfalian added, “As educators, we wanted to make sure our students were feeling supported and getting the best educational experience they deserved. While teaching through Zoom was convenient, I did miss the special environment we had created in our classroom along with the close connections and intriguing discussions we would have.”
And there you have it. A pandemic can have an immense, adverse impact on a small school like ours. But at Ferrahian, we don’t view the glass as half empty or half full. We face the challenges head-on, make the best of the circumstances, and enjoy the full glass of our appreciation and success.
Sose´ Hovannisian will be a junior at Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School in the fall. She is the 2020 Asbarez summer intern.
ANKARA
Armenia will surely pay for its attacks at Azerbaijani border area, the Turkish defense minister said on Thursday in a meeting with top Azerbaijani military delegation in the capital Ankara.
“[Armenia] will be drowned under the plot they’ve initiated and will definitely pay for what they’ve done,” Hulusi Akar told Ramiz Tahirov, the Azerbaijani deputy defense minister and the commander of the Military Air Forces.
Earlier on Sunday, the Armenian army attempted to attack Azerbaijani positions with artillery fire in the northwestern Tovuz border region and withdrew after suffering losses following retaliation from the Azerbaijani military.
Recent border clashes with Armenia have resulted in the martyrdom of 11 Azerbaijani soldiers — including a major general and a colonel — and injured four.
Akar recalled that Turkey closely follows the border clash developments.
“We strongly condemn the treacherous attack on the Tovuz region of Azerbaijan. The pain of Azerbaijani Turks is our pain. I want all of you to know that any troubles you live there are felt very deeply here.”
He also wished “Allah’s mercy upon martyrs, and fast recovery to the wounded”.
“I would also like to express that we are sure their blood will not be left on the ground,” he added.
Akar stressed that the occupation of the Upper Karabakh, or Nagorno-Karabakh, without any legal justification and legitimacy, will never be accepted.
The minister reiterated that Turkey and Azerbaijan are “one nation and two states”, sharing the common language, religion, and history.
Upper Karabakh, or Nagorno-Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan, has been illegally occupied since 1991 through Armenian military aggression.
Four UN Security Council resolutions and two UN General Assembly resolutions as well as decisions by many international organizations refer to this fact and demand the withdrawal of occupational Armenian forces from Upper Karabakh and seven other occupied regions of Azerbaijan.
* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev in Ankara
19:36,
MOSCOW / PARIS / WASHINGTON D.C., JULY 13, ARMENPRESS: The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stéphane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America have released a statement today condemning the ceasefire violations at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.
The statement comes amid heightened tensions after Azerbaijan launched a military attack on a position in the Tavush province.
“According to reports from the Ministries of Defence of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as other sources, on 12-13 July there was a serious breach of the ceasefire on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, resulting in casualties. Artillery of various calibers reportedly was used by both forces. The Co-Chairs and Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-office (PRCIO) Andrzej Kasprzyk regret the loss of life and offer their condolences to the families of those who were killed and injured. The Co-Chairs and PRCiO have been in direct contact with Armenian and Azerbaijani officials since the beginning of the incident. The sides have accused each other of initiating the fighting. The Minsk Group Co‑Chairs condemn the recent ceasefire violations and call upon the sides to take all necessary measures to prevent any further escalation, including by use of the existing direct communication channels between them. The Minsk Group Co-Chairs also call on the sides to resume substantive negotiations as soon as possible and emphasize the importance of returning OSCE monitors to the region as soon as circumstances allow”, the Co-Chairs said in the statement.
19:09,
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. The National Center for Crisis Management of the Rescue Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia received a call today at 18:40 that a bomb has been installed at the head office of Adjarabet.am.
ARMENPRESS reports rescuers and operative groups have left for the scene.
13:59,
YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenia presented the 2nd Voluntary National Review Report on UN Sustainable Development Goals during the online High-Level Political Forum held under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council on July 10, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.
This year the Forum was being held under the title “Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development”.
Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mher Margaryan was chairing the part of the Forum relating to the presentation of the voluntary reports as Vice Chairman of the UN Economic and Social Council.
Armenia’s report was firstly presented via a video, showing the actions taken in the country since 2018 for the implementation of the SDGS, the achievements recorded, as well as the innovative solutions aimed at overcoming the existing challenges. It also touched upon the situation caused by the novel coronavirus in the country and the government’s measures aimed at eliminating its consequences.
Then, the presentation was followed by a Q&A session. Armenian deputy foreign minister Artak Apitonyan answered to the questions of the online Forum participants.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
By Mark Dovich
“Significant increase in public trust in state institutions” is what the latest data from the Caucasus Barometer shows, more than two years after the 2018 Velvet Revolution ushered in dramatic changes to the country’s domestic political landscape. The annual household survey—and the largest coordinated data collection effort in the South Caucasus—was last conducted in Armenia from February 21 to March 15, 2020 by the Caucasus Research Resource Centers think tank network.
When asked about each of the 15 state institutions included in the survey, as well as two major international organizations, the EU and the UN, respondents expressed significant increase in public trust in each institution. According to the 2020 survey, any given institution experienced an average increase in public trust of nearly 16 percentage points since the previous wave of the survey, which was conducted from October 13 to October 27, 2017.
Five institutions saw increases in public trust of more than 15 percentage points between 2017 and 2020: local government (increase in trust by 18 points), the police (22 points), the president (60 points), executive government (50 points), and the National Assembly (27 points).
As a result of such dramatic increases, there are now seven institutions in Armenia that enjoy the trust of the majority of the general public: the educational system (with 51 percent of respondents expressing trust), the army (88 percent), executive government (71 percent), the president (78 percent), the police (51 percent), local government (51 percent), and religious institutions (80 percent). In contrast, only the army and religious institutions registered majorities of public trust in 2017, with 77 percent and 74 percent, respectively.
At the same time, the survey makes it clear that the Armenian public remains distrustful of key institutions, with the plurality of respondents still expressing distrust in the banking system (40 percent), the court system (48 percent), and political parties (45 percent).
Nonetheless, the survey shows that, overall, significant progress has been made since the 2018 Velvet Revolution in overcoming deep historical distrust in state institutions among the Armenian general public that predates the country’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Social science research has consistently found that public trust “is a necessary element for a society to prosper,” with high levels of public trust contributing to democratic stability, economic development, and social integration. Though Armenia’s post-Velvet Revolution government still has a long way to go in enacting policies that meet citizens’ sky-high expectations for reform, the survey makes it clear that real, significant, systemic change has occurred since 2018.
The army and religious institutions have long been the most trusted state institutions in Armenia.
Since 2017, levels of public trust in the president and executive government have increased most sharply among all the institutions included in the survey.
Improvement in public trust in institutions from 2017 to 2020.