Author: Hambik Zargarian

Asbarez: Mirzoyan-Bayramov Meeting in Moscow Deemed ‘Constructive’

Hambik Zargarian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 May 19, 2023

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Main, Latest, News, Top Stories

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov hosts his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts in Moscow on May 19


A meeting on Friday between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov, hosted by their Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, was deemed “constructive.”

In a brief statement after the meeting, Armenia’s foreign ministry said “a constructive exchange of views took place on topics where the sides still have disagreements.” The statement added that the sides continued to work on an agreement to establish “interstate relations.”

Lavrov hosted Mirzoyan and Bayramov for a three-way talks, after which the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers held talks together.

Lavrov told reporters that Yerevan and Baku had narrowed their differences on a proposed peace agreement, but warned that such an agreement cannot be signed without the opening of transport routes between the two countries and the delimitation and demarcation of the borders.

“Work on the peace treaty is undoubtedly fundamental, however our partners confirmed today that without solving the issues of delimitation, unblocking transport and economic links and an overall improvement of the security situation in both Karabakh and on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border it’s very hard to make progress on concrete aspects of the peace treaty. We discussed all this together,” Lavrov told reporters.

The Russian foreign minister said that the commission tasked with unblocking transport routes is close to a proposing a final agreement and another commission set up to address the border delimitation issues will meet soon to coordinate that important facet.

“With the peace treaty and a number of issues that were discussed today, it was possible to bring the mutual understanding of both sides closer to a common vision,” said Lavrov

He said Russia’s role was to provide a platform for a bilateral meeting.

“We presented our approaches. We hope that this event will enable the ongoing talks between the [foreign] ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia to achieve practical results. We will continue to contribute to the progress in order to fully implement all the provisions of all tripartite statements, which are the basis for fully implementing the efforts aimed at the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations,” Lavrov added.

Lavrov also held separate meetings with the foreign ministers before the three convened together.

Mirzoyan expressed concern to Lavrov that the Lachin Corridor, which has been blockaded by Azerbaijan, is not under the complete control of the Russian peacekeeping forces, as envisioned in the November 9, 2020 agreement.

Mirzoyan and Bayramov met earlier this month in Washington for four days of talks hosted by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, ahead of a meeting between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan in Brussels on Sunday, which was hosted by European Council President Charles Michel.

The Kremlin confirmed Friday that Pashinyan and Aliyev will meet with President Vladimir Putin of Russia on May 25, a week before the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders are slated to meet with Michel, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Sholz in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau (pronounced Kishniyev) on June 1.

1st Convention of the Future Armenian: Over 200 participants defined their vision of future and unity

Hambik Zargarian

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 11:57,

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. The Future Armenian has recapped its 1st Convention which took place in Yerevan earlier in March.

Over 200 participants from around the world had participated in the Convention.

The Convention of the Future Armenian is based on the internationally recognized and widely used “citizens’ assembly” model of participatory democracy. 200 participants were selected from a pool of pre-registered citizens by a transparent lottery drawing with a representative sampling method to ensure the representation in the Convention of gender, age and educational groups in society, as well as the participants’ countries and places of residence.

On March 10-12, the participants discussed three of the 15 stated goals of the Future Armenian – “Historic Responsibility”, “Armenia-Diaspora Unity” and “Growing Population”. They then voted for proposed policies and priorities regarding the items.

Summarizing the 1st Convention, Noubar Afeyan, co-Founder of the Future Armenian initiative, highlighted the urgent need to discuss and picture the future – “which can belong to all, and which is worth investing and working for”, or else, he said, “we will stay in the present”. “More precisely, we will go back to the past [in that case]. While our past, with the exception of a few bright moments, isn’t the kind we’d want to go back to, I believe,” Afeyan said.

Future Armenian co-founder Ruben Vardanyan said that the issues related to Artsakh will greatly impact not only Armenia but the entire “Armenian world”.

“And we are sure that we must go through this path together because protecting Artsakh’s security and independence isn’t only an issue for the Artsakhians themselves,” Vardanyan said.

Future Armenian co-founder Richard Azarnia emphasized that implementing the 15 goals is the initiative’s mission.

“In my opinion what matters now is unity,” Azarnia said, adding that the ideas that were adopted during the convention must be followed because they are “collective ideas”. “Now we must walk together hand in hand. The goal of the Future Armenia is to make this path easier and faster.”

 

From March 10-12, the first pan-Armenian citizens’ Convention in Yerevan brought together Armenian representatives from all over the world in one hall. The 200 participants of the Convention were selected through a transparent lottery and representative sampling method from among thousands of pre-registered compatriots from the Republic of Armenia, Artsakh, and the Diaspora according to gender, age, education, and place of residence. Unfortunately, some of the selected participants did not have the opportunity to participate in-person due to the ongoing crisis in Artsakh.

Three of the 15 defined goals of The FUTURE ARMENIAN initiative were discussed during the Convention: “Historic Responsibility,” “Armenia-Diaspora Unity,” and “Growing Population.” More than 100 representatives from the Armenian expert community from various countries spent five months developing the scenarios and programs presented for discussion.

Numerous guests and representatives from partner organizations attended the opening ceremony of the Convention. Noubar Afeyan, co-Founder of the FUTURE ARMENIAN initiative, delivered the opening speech, while fellow co-Founder Ruben Vardanyan addressed the audience via video. Next, His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan presented the Patriarchal message of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.

Discussions on the first day were dedicated to the goal of “Historic Responsibility.” The head of the Expert Committee was Pontifical Legate of Western Europe and Representative of the Armenian Church to the Holy See Archbishop Khajag Barsamian. 

The second day‘s discussions were devoted to the goal of “Armenia-Diaspora Unity.” The head of the Expert Committee was public speaker and Editor-in-Chief of “Aravot” newspaper Aram Abrahamyan.

Discussions on the third day were dedicated to the goal of “Growing Population.” The head of the expert committee was Armine Hovannesian, founder of the “Orran” charitable non-governmental organization and executive director of the “Youth Achievements of Armenia” organization.

On the second day, the participants visited the Yerablur Military Pantheon to pay their respects to and honor the memory of the Armenians martyred for the motherland.

The Convention ended with the official closing ceremony, during which speeches were delivered by High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Zareh Sinanyan and co-Founders of the FUTURE ARMENIAN initiative Artur Alaverdyan and Richard Azarnia. The ceremony was concluded by Artak Apitonyan, executive director of the FUTURE ARMENIAN Development Foundation, who emphasized the importance of each compatriot’s active participation in future activities of the initiative.

Each day of the Convention closed with votes on priorities for policy proposals and initiatives. They were conducted by the Voting Committee, which was selected by the participants on the principle of self-nomination. You can check out the results of the voting at the following links:

First day 

Second day  

Third day  

Particularly noteworthy were the results of the votes regarding pan-Armenian responsibility toward Artsakh (Day 1) – (92,71% voted that Artsakh is an issue for all Armenians around the world), the main agenda for Armenia-Diaspora cooperation (Day 2), the policy for organizing immigration (Day 3), as well as prioritizing the various initiatives.

Throughout the three days of discussions, the Convention participants came up with over 2,000 recorded observations and concerns, proposed dozens of public initiatives and programs, and voted on priorities for their implementation.

Thus, The FUTURE ARMENIAN established a platform through which representatives of various groups of Armenians around the world studied, discussed, and selected scenarios and programs which passed expert evaluation, thereby defining their vision for the future through a united force.




Italy seizes 2.7 tons of cocaine planned to be shipped to Armenia

Hambik Zargarian
MEDIAMAX
Armenia – May 16 2023

Yerevan /Mediamax/. The officials of the Customs Office of the Italian city of Gioia Tauro, located in the southern region of Calabria, seized 2.7 tons of cocaine planned to be shipped to Armenia through the Georgian port of Batumi.

Italian ANSA news agency reports that the packages with cocaine were hidden in two containers with bananas that were transported to Italy from Ecuador and were to be sent to Armenia.

The cost of 2.7 tons of cocaine on the black market is about 800 million euros.

Reciprocal withdrawal of forces, demilitarization of border line becoming more urgent, says PM

Hambik Zargarian

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 15:49,

YEREVAN, MAY 18, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on May 18 that reciprocal withdrawal of military forces on the border line between Armenia and Azerbaijan is becoming more urgent on the backdrop of the continuing policy of escalation by Azerbaijan and the agreements reached on May 14 in Brussels.

“Despite some progress in the talks, Azerbaijan continues its policy of escalation on the border with Armenia. Gunfire was heard on our borders during the last days, we have deaths. Bowing before our fallen brothers, I want to emphasize again that especially on the backdrop of the May 14 agreements, the reciprocal withdrawal of troops from the border line and demilitarization of the border line is becoming more urgent. And we will continue to emphasize this agenda,” Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting.

He added that the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor is also a manifestation of Azerbaijan’s policy of escalation, which once again underscores the legitimate necessity for an international presence in Nagorno Karabakh and Lachin Corridor. Pashinyan said that Armenia is discussing this issue with all international partners.

European Film Festival takes place in Yerevan until 23 May – free admission

Hambik Zargarian

On 16 May, a new edition of the European Film Festival opened in Yerevan with the screening of the latest winner of the Palme d’Or, the Swedish film The Triangle of Sorrow.

The European Film Festival will be held from 16 to 23 May at Yerevan Cinema House (18, Vardanants Street). Entrance is free and open to the public. 

Thirteen award-winning films from EU member states present in Armenia will be screened with English and Armenian subtitles. 

“‘United in diversity’ is the motto of the European Union and today we, Europeans, are very pleased to show you examples of our diverse and plural cultures,” said EU ambassador to Armenia Andrea Wiktorin on the occasion of the opening of the festival. “The magic of cinema lies in its ability to captivate audiences and tell stories that resonate with people from all lifestyles. The Festival screens films that have received critical acclaim and have been successful at international film festivals, giving Armenian audiences access to award-winning European cinema.”

The European Film Festival in Armenia takes place as part of the Europe Day celebrations. This year’s festivities will continue until 26 May and will take place in Yerevan, the Sunik region and other marzes. 

Find out more

Press release

https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/latest-news/european-film-festival-takes-place-in-yerevan-until-23-may-free-admission/

Western Primate Derderian Re-Elected to 8-Year Term

Hambik Zargarian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 May 8, 2023

 

in Community, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Western Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian was re-elected to an eight-year term on May 5


The Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church convened its National Representative Assembly on Friday and overwhelmingly re-elected Archbishop Hovnan Derderian to serve as the Primate for another eight years, the Diocese reported.

The Friday meeting was preceded by a convention of the Diocesan Women’s Auxiliary Guild and Religious Council, which adopted a resolution in support of Archbishop Derderian.

At the start of the National Representative Assembly, the participants observed a moment of silence in memory of the late former Western Primate Archbishop Vache Hovsepian, who passed away earlier this year and played a critical role in the advancement of the Western Diocese.

A pontifical message form His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, was read.

During the discussions at the National Representative Assembly, the participants, who represented all the parishes of the Western Dioceses commended Archbishop Derderian’s service to the community and the church. They emphasized the Primate’s undeniable impact on the Western Diocese during his 20-years at Primate.

“It is important to stress that the planned and conceived achievements under the leadership of the Archbishop Hovnan Derderian have provided new impetus and have elevated the spiritual life within the Western Diocese, which has had its benevolent impact within the church’s spiritual arena, beginning with the various parishes in the Diaspora all the way to the homeland and the currently wounded Artsakh,” said a statement by the Diocese.

From Homesickness to Belonging: Discovering the Armenian Church in Abu Dhabi

Hambik Zargarian
May 8, 2023 Milena Baghdasaryan Culture 0

The unmatched scent of khoong spreads around the room, drawing all shapes of transparent clouds in the sun-lit horizon. Colorful mosaics of all sizes and shapes are perfectly embedded in the walls as if the walls had been pencil-drawn around them, following the exact trajectory of their outline. A sweet, familiar melody permeates through the ‘clouds,’ across the mosaics, until it finally enters deep into my soul. At that very moment, I know I am home. 

A heartwarming corner in the Armenian Sunday School in Abu Dhabi

Finding an Armenian church in Abu Dhabi felt like finding a long-sought treasure, a hidden gem that would give me a sense of connection and belonging, love, friendship, community and home. Living outside of Armenia, far away from all my family and friends, often meant endless days of homesickness and longing, wherein speaking my mother tongue seemed like a luxury that could only be afforded over Whatsapp calls. Speaking about topics related to my homeland with my international friends required me to first summarize a thousands-year-long historical context into a quick five-minute introduction, and only then touch the surface of the current news related to my homeland. I missed having insightful discussions about home, where everyone involved in the conversation would know all the intricacies of the issue at hand and would be equally interested in finding a solution, as the problem would matter, on a deep emotional and DNA level, to all of us. Against the backdrop of homesickness and nostalgia, finding the St. Nahadagadz Armenian Church meant finding a home away from home, but it also meant finding a family.  

Meghrig

After speaking with Hayr Vache Balkjian, I felt like the ground beneath my feet became more firm. “Milena, the moment you need something, as tiny or big as it may be, you give us a call, okay? We are always here for you,” was how Hayr Vache concluded our first phone call, leaving a lasting smile on my face as I realized that I, the petite young woman that I am, am no longer alone in this big city of towering skyscrapers. Despite the tremendous distance between the church and the campus where I live, Hayr Vache helped me secure free transportation to and from the church, as he carefully searched among his contacts to find someone who would live in close proximity to my current residence. That’s how I met Meghrig, a warm and kind Armenian woman who happened to live very close to NYU Abu Dhabi. When Meghrig and her beautiful family arrived to pick me up, I was greeted with the lovely and delightful sound of Western Armenian, the language of our hearts, which I enjoyed for the next 30 minutes of our long yet pleasant drive to church. The word “Hayastan” was used perhaps 50 times during our conversation, as we talked about our origins, the current situation at home, our relatives living in Armenia, the Armenians living outside of Armenia, and many other topics wherein motherland was always the central theme, and everything else was marginal. 

We arrived at the church around noon, which meant that most seats were already occupied by fellow Armenians on this Easter Sunday. One of the first things that struck me was the surprisingly high number of Armenians living in Abu Dhabi and how they have all come from all corners of Abu Dhabi to the not-central-AT-ALL part of the capital, simply to celebrate Easter together. The Divine Liturgy, performed entirely in Armenian, was followed by an event during which every participant was given a beautiful keepsake for the home with the message “God Bless this Home,” with the name of St. Nahadagadz Church written at the bottom. 

The St. Nahadagadz Armenian Church in Abu Dhabi

My next visit to the church was in the scope of the “Banakum” initiative, an annual event that brings together Armenian children and youth from all the corners of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The official opening of the three-day event took place on April 21 and was followed by a variety of activities, including lectures and discussions about Armenian culture, identity and values, the Armenian Genocide, Armenian patriotic songs and lessons on Armenian traditional dance movements and bracelet making. The children also participated in fun and energetic games that aimed to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle. Then they cleaned up the Armenian Sunday School (located right in front of the church) and its surroundings, thereby learning to appreciate and take care of their environment. The “Banakum” event concluded on April 23, on the eve of the commemoration day of the Armenian Genocide. After the commemoration liturgy, each of the participants was asked to leave a flower on the memorial, thus paying tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide. 

A fun and energetic game inspired by Vardavar, organized in the scope of the Banakum event

I had the honor of participating in the “Banakum” event as a photographer, a role that made me appreciate the event even more than I otherwise would, as, with each shutter sound, I was able to capture a sincere smile, endless happiness in the eyes of the youth, the joy of feeling reconnected with their origins, speaking their mother tongue, learning about their culture and identity, feeling home away from home, exactly as I felt, or maybe more. I understood more deeply the role of the Armenian church as a powerful bridge to connect different members of the Armenian community who would perhaps never know each other if not through the church, and who have now turned into a strong and supportive family where everything, be it food, news, happiness or sorrow for the motherland, is shared without reservation. A family in which each member stands up for the other, supports in any way they can, building each other up and thinking of creative ways to help rebuild Armenia. I never thought speaking Armenian in the UAE would be not the exception, but the norm. I never thought seeing Armenians in Abu Dhabi would be not a surprise, but a weekly occurrence that would set up the mood for the rest of the week. I never thought I would be so close to home while being so far away from it, and I could never be more grateful than I am today for the existence of an Armenian church and for people like Meghrig and Hayr Vache who, within only three weeks, have managed to do so much for me that I don’t hesitate when referring to them as my second family. They entered my heart as seamlessly as the colorful mosaics have entered the walls of the St. Nahadagadz Armenian Church, bringing with them a warm hue of bright colors that I can’t help but associate with the heartwarming colors of Armenia.

The participants and organizers of the Banakum event

  •  Bio
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Milena Baghdasaryan is a graduate from UWC Changshu China. Since the age of 11, she has been writing articles for a local newspaper named Kanch (‘Call’). At the age of 18, she published her first novel on Granish.org and created her own blog, Taghandi Hetqerov (‘In the Pursuit of Talent’)—a portal devoted to interviewing young and talented Armenians all around the world. Baghdasaryan considers storytelling, traveling and learning new languages to be critical in helping one explore the world, connect with others, and discover oneself. Milena currently studies Film and New Media at New York University in Abu Dhabi.


Armenia PM says “huge differences” with Azerbaijan over peace deal

Hambik Zargarian
Armenia – May 6 2023
May 6, 2023 – 15:13 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian still sees a “huge difference” in the wording of a draft peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the two sides’ positions despite reported progress in bilateral talks hosted by the United States this week.

Pashinian, in an exclusive interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on May 5, said that the key differences concern not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also territorial and security guarantees.

“We are still unable to reach agreement in the draft peace agreement on the wording that will give us confidence that Azerbaijan recognizes 29,800 square kilometers of Armenia” within its Soviet-era borders, he said.

Pashinian also highlighted the need for guarantees as “any agreement, even the most unambiguously written one, allows for interpretations.”

Pashinian, who spoke with RFE/RL while on a two-day official visit to Prague, referred to the draft bilateral Agreement on Peace and Establishment of Interstate Relations that was discussed by Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov, during the U.S.-sponsored talks.

A joint statement issued on May 4 at the conclusion of the talks said Mirzoyan and Bayramov and their teams “made progress in mutual understanding on some articles of the draft bilateral peace agreement” but noted that positions on a number of key issues remain different.

Despite U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s optimism that “with additional goodwill, flexibility, and compromise, an agreement is within reach,” Pashinian assessed the progress as minimal.

“While the difference between the sides was 1 kilometer before, now it is 999 meters. It is also progress, but there is still a huge gap,” he said in the interview with RFE/RL.

Pashinian reiterated Armenia’s position that the issue of the rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians should be discussed in a dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert with international engagement.

“Otherwise, this topic and agenda can simply be forgotten by Azerbaijan,” he said.

He also said that both international and local mechanisms should be applied to such matters as the withdrawal of troops and the establishment of a demilitarized zone. In addition, there are different interpretations in Yerevan and Baku on how to address the rights of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians.

Pashinian said that the discussion that started in Washington can continue in Moscow, denying claims that there are “Western” and “Russian” drafts that differ from each other.

“Sometimes I read articles, listen to interviews as I want to understand what people are talking about. If I weren’t prime minister, I would have thought that there was something I didn’t know,” said Pashinian.

He said that while there have been some approaches from the West, they have not been presented as an option in writing.

“An approach is verbal. Perhaps if we put it down and read on paper, it may turn out that we understood this approach wrong, that it is not what it looked like. In August 2022, the Russian side submitted a written proposal, we accepted it, Azerbaijan rejected it. We haven’t seen Russia putting that option on the table for a second time,” Pashinian said.

Tensions along the restive Armenian-Azerbaijani border and around Nagorno-Karabakh leading to sporadic fighting and loss of life have persisted despite the cease-fire and the presence of Russian troops.

They flared anew last month when Azerbaijan installed a road checkpoint at the start of the Lachin Corridor, the only route linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia says the checkpoint, set up on April 23, is a violation of the ceasefire agreement. Azerbaijan insists it established it in response to what it says were Armenian military supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia denies that accusation.

Turkish Press: Turkish parliament speaker meets with Armenian counterpart

Hambik Zargarian
HURRIYET 
Turkey – May 5 2023

Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop has met with the Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Alen Simonyan on May 4 who has been visiting Türkiye for the 30th Anniversary of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Summit and the 61st PABSEC Plenary Meeting.

Pointing out that there are obstacles to be overcome in terms of normalizing relations, Simonyan said a ceremony of the erection of a monument in the Armenian capital which irked Ankara was not represented by the Armenian government, but by opposition figures.

“No deputy representing the government was present at that ceremony. Those deputies represent the opposition and criticize us for taking steps in this process. We anticipate that there will be many obstacles and difficulties on this path, but we have to go through them to yield results,” Simonyan stated.

Noting that Türkiye desires full normalization and the establishment of good neighborly relations in its region, Şentop said, “Our goal in our normalization process with Armenia is to realize this desire.”

He recalled that there are some steps taken regarding the normalization of relations with Armenia and said, “Therefore, I think that steps that will harm the normalization process should be avoided.”

Şentop reiterated Türkiye’s unease over the opening of the “Nemesis Monument” in Yerevan on April 25.

“The Nemesis Monument, which was opened with the participation of the Deputy Mayor of Yerevan and some officials with a ceremony held on April 25, is an unacceptable development that openly glorifies terrorism and makes terrorists heroic,” he said.

Şentop recalled that “Operation Nemesis,” as the “terrorist activities” including assassinations targeting Ottoman and Azerbaijani statesmen at that time, have inspired terrorist organizations such as ASALA (Secret Armenian Army for the Liberation of Armenia), Armenian Genocide Justice Commandos (JCAG) and Armenian Revolutionary Army (ARA), which martyred 31 Turkish diplomats and their family members.

“The opening of this monument has created serious discomfort in Türkiye. We regard this issue as a very sensitive issue, will not accept the glorification of terrorism in any way, and such incidents will adversely affect good neighborly relations,” he stated.

Türkiye and Armenia are running a process for normalizing the relationship after more than a 30-year-long incommunicado and the two sides launched talks after the Armenia-Azerbaijan war in 2020 which ended with the victory of the Azeri troops.

The two countries are at odds over various issues, primarily the 1915 mass killings of Armenians during the First World War, as Yerevan says the killings constitute genocide.

https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-parliament-speaker-meets-with-armenian-counterpart-182900

Russian peacekeepers register ceasefire violation in Karabakh — defense ministry

Hambik Zargarian
 TASS 
Russia –
There were no casualties, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation noted

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. Russian peacekeepers have registered a ceasefire vilation in the Martuni district of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Russian Defense Ministry said in its daily bulletin, published late on Thursday.

“A ceasefire violation was registered in the Martuni district. There were no casualties,” the ministry said.

“The Russian peacekeepers’ command is investigating the incident, jointly with the Azerbaijani and the Armenian side,” the bulletin said.