Author: Hambik Zargarian

Deputy FMs of Armenia, Uruguay refer to urgent regional and international issues

Hambik Zargarian

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 12:43,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 20, ARMENPRESS. On August 19, the next round of political consultations between the foreign ministries of the Republic of Armenia and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay took place in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay.

ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia that a separate meeting was held between the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Paruyr Hovhannisyan and the Carolina Ache, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Uruguay within the framework of the consultations.

Bilateral historic friendly relations and prospects for their further development were discussed. The regular Armenian-Uruguayan political dialogue, the expansion of the legal field, the development of trade-economic, inter-parliamentary and scientific and educational relations were highlighted.

The opening of resident embassies in both countries was evaluated as an additional indicator of friendly relations between Armenia and Uruguay. Deputy Foreign Minister Hovhannisyan informed about the intention to open the Armenian resident embassy in Montevideo, a similar decision was made by Uruguay in August 2021.

The parties also discussed cooperation within international organizations. Reference was made to the urgent issues of the regional and international agenda.

Paruyr Hovhannisyan presented the current situation over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, emphasizing the importance of the peaceful settlement process in order to establish stable peace in the South Caucasus.

On the same day, Vice President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, the President of the Senate, Beatriz Argimón received the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia. Issues related to the development of bilateral relations were discussed.

During the visit to Uruguay, the delegation led by Paruyr Hovhannisyan also had a meeting with the representatives of the Uruguayan Armenian community.

Human rights violation serious grounds for Armenia to suspend process involving Berdzor, Aghavno residents – politician

Hambik Zargarian
ARMINFO
Armenia – Aug 17 2022
David Stepanyan

ArmInfo. A new route between Armenia and Artsakh does not at all imply Artsakh’s isolation. It is a domestic political problem rather than a real one, Chairman of the  Constructive Party of Armenia Andrias Ghukasyan said in an interview  with ArmInfo. 

However, he sees another serious problem. Berdzor is a repetition of  the Armenian authorities’ approach to Karvachar, where they assisted  ethnic cleansing, with the local residents losing their property.  This approach has nothing in common with the Yerevan-declared  democratization, protection of human rights and freedoms. 

“Yerevan behavior in connection with Artsakh is rather problematic.  Moreover, in the context of the statement by the United States Senate  Committee on Foreign Relations demanding withdrawal of Azerbaijani  troops from Nagorno-Karabakh, it appears at least un-understandable.  Armenia’s position on Artsakh is not only inadequate to the efforts  by the United States and France aimed at protecting the Artsakh  people’s legal rights, but facilitates violations of their rights by  Azerbaijan,” Mr Ghukasyan said.

The ongoing de-Armenianization of Berdzor and Aghavno is evidence of  the Pashinyan-led government’s commitment to the agreements of  November 9, 2020. And Armenia’s authorities are facing a problem of  “legal implementation” as the property of the “corridor” residents  cannot be alienated by means of a decision jointly made by Nikol  Pashinyan, Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin. 

Meanwhile, in contrast to Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan remain  Council of Europe member-states, which implies relevant property  rights commitments on their part. Therefore, the Berdzor residents’  property can only be alienated within law, but not the way it is  being done now. 

“It is a gross human rights violation, which give Armenia serious  grounds for suspending the processes involving the Berdzor and  Aghavno residents. However, we can see that neither Armenia’s  government nor the opposition forces are willing to. So it is the  local residents that should file a collective complaint with the  European Court of Human Rights and request an interim measure, as the  applicants would otherwise face a real risk of losing their property.  I am sure that, with no political pressure by the authorities, human  rights campaigners in Armenia and in the Armenian Diaspora have the  sufficient potential to solve the problem,” Mr Ghukasyan said.

There were 4 tons of explosive materials in the area of "Surmalu" before the explosion – preliminary data

Hambik Zargarian

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 21:04,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. The rescuers continue the search and rescue operations of the citizens in the area of the “Surmalu” shopping center that did not collapse, ARMENPRESS reports Minister of Emergency Situations Armen Pambukhchyan told the journalists.

According to Armen Pambukhchyan, after the end of the search and rescue work, the issue of dismantling the remaining part of the building will be discussed.

When asked whether there may still be explosive materials in the basement, storage areas, the minister said that 50-60 percent of the area has already been cleared and if there were such materials, they would have been found by now.

“According to preliminary estimates, there were 4 tons before the explosion,” added the minister.

Will residents of Aganus village, which was transferred to Azerbaijan, return to their lands?

Hambik Zargarian
NEWS.am
Armenia – Aug 12 2022
19:39, 12.08.2022

The residents of Aganus village are skeptical that their village, handed over to Azerbaijan after the 44-day war, can be returned to the Armenian side.

And about the possible transfer of Aganus under Artsakh’s control, Artsakh Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Hayk Khanumyan said the other day. “The territory of Aganus community returns to the corridor, goes out of Azerbaijani control, but everything there has been looted and burned since the first war and until 2020,” Khanumyan told Armenpress.

The Artsakh village of Aganus came under Azerbaijani control a few days after the end of the 44-day war, on December 1. The village had 102 residents who were evacuated during the war. Most of them settled in Armenia. The residents of Aganus learned from the media that the village could once again come under Artsakh’s control.

The head of the aforementioned Karabakh village Artak Abrahamyan has already had time to talk to his fellow villagers about this issue. According to him, the fellow villagers believe that it is too early to talk about it. “How reliable is the information that Aganus will remain Armenian? Today Azerbaijan is only deporting Artsakh people. It’s still too early to talk about the return of the residents to Aganus, I just can’t imagine how an Armenian and an Azerbaijani can live next to each other?   Residents from 1994 until the 44-day war were deceived, and no one is going back at the moment, because people think about creating their own corner at least in Armenia,” Abrahamyan said.

Aganus was inhabited at the end of 1994. According to the head of the community, up to 300 families lived in the village in different years, but during the 44-day war there were only 13 families, with 102 residents. Abrahamyan assures that not a single house in their village was burned down, but during the war, when the residents were evacuated, they were looted.


Fly Arna to have two additional Airbus A320 by yearend

Hambik Zargarian

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 17:39,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 12, ARMENPRESS. The Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan held a meeting with Fly Arna airline CEO Antony Price and the company’s Commercial Director Karine Andreasyan.

Sanosyan commended the Armenian national carrier’s launch and wished successes.

Fly Arna CEO Antony Price presented the first steps in entering the market, the problems that emerged during their activities, as well as the sequence of steps aimed at further developing the company. Price told the minister that they plan to acquire an additional two Airbus A320 aircraft by yearend.

The minister was briefed on the prospects of entering the Russian market in September this year. Sanosyan proposed to consider expanding the geography of flights and to pay special attention to the quality of service.

An agreement was reached to closely cooperate also in the issue of lifting the flight restrictions on Armenian airlines to European destinations. Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed.

Armenian PM, Russian President discuss developments of the situation around Nagorno Karabakh

Hambik Zargarian

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 20:03, 8 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS. On the initiative of the Armenian side, a telephone conversation was held between the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, ARMENPRESS was informed from Kremlin’s official website.

Issues related to the developments of the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as security on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, were discussed. In this context, the importance of fulfilling all provisions of the agreements of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan of November 9, 2020, January 11, and November 26, 2021 was emphasized.

CivilNet: Armenia ready to provide Azerbaijan passage to Nakhichevan, says Pashinyan

Hambik Zargarian
CIVILNET.AM

04 Aug, 2022 09:08

The situation on the line of contact in Karabakh was relatively stable last night and this morning, according to the region’s authorities. Armenian defense officials also reported that a total of 19 servicemen were wounded in Azerbaijan’s incursions yesterday, in addition to two killed. Four sustained serious injuries, and one is in critical condition.

Yesterday, Azerbaijani units used drones, grenade launchers and anti-aircraft weapons in the direction of Armenian positions near the villages of Verin Horatagh and Yeghtsahogh. Baku claimed its troops captured a number of strategic areas near those villages as a result.

Credits: Ruptly

Armenian former FM announces his version of provisional government: I will be in square on August 8

Hambik Zargarian
NEWS.am
Armenia – Aug 5 2022
16:38, 05.08.2022

A National Council of Trust should be formed as a basis for an interim government, and, months later, for new elections, Raffi Hovhannisian, leader of the Heritage Party and former foreign minister, told journalists today.

He announced the names of the people he considers to be in the interim government: “Arman Tatoyan, Arkady Karapetyan, Vazgen Manukyan, Avetik Chalabyan, Paruyr Hayrikyan, Ruben Vardanyan, Gevorg Gevorgyan, Lilit Galstyan, Anna Grigoryan, Armen Darbinyan, Vahan Artsruni, Gagik Ginosyan, and the leader of Tavush Diocese Bagrat Srbazan.

The list also includes current Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia Mher Grigoryan and Hambardzum Matevosyan. Hovhannisian explained this by the fact that there are suitable people in the current government.

He said he has not been in contact with the people on the list.

“This proposal is aimed at promoting negotiations, creating balance and stability,” the former foreign minister stressed.

The head of the party assured that he will be in the square on Monday.

“It will not be a rally. We face the task of pulling Armenia out of this abyss. Citizen Pashinyan is Armenia’s red line. I call on Nikol Pashinyan to resign, and I call on his family and his political force to sobriety,” Hovhannisian said.

​Three soldiers killed over Karabakh as warring sides accuse each other of violations

Hambik Zargarian
Aug 3 2022
Three soldiers killed over Karabakh as warring sides accuse each other of violations

The New Arab Staff & Agencies

Three soldiers were killed on Wednesday in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh as warring parties accused one another of committing violations.

Three soldiers were killed on Wednesday over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh as the warring sides accused each other of ceasefire violations.

Arch enemies Armenia and Azerbaijan fought two wars — in 2020 and in the 1990s — over Azerbaijan’s Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Six weeks of fighting in the autumn of 2020 claimed more than 6,500 lives and ended with a Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement.

Armenia ceded swathes of territory it had controlled for decades, and Russia deployed some 2,000 peacekeepers to oversee the fragile truce, but tensions persist despite a ceasefire agreement.

On Wednesday, the Azerbaijani defence ministry said Karabakh troops targeted Azerbaijani army positions in the district of Lachin, which is under the supervision of the Russian peacekeeping force, killing an Azerbaijani conscript.

The foreign ministry in Baku said that the “bloody incident” demonstrated that Armenia did not respect the ceasefire agreement.

“All responsibility for the incident in Azerbaijan lies with military and political leadership of Armenia, which has not yet withdrawn its illegal armed formations from the territory of the neighbouring state,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The army of the breakaway statelet accused Azerbaijan of violating a ceasefire and killing two soldiers and wounding another 14.

Karabakh declared a “partial mobilisation”, the army said in a statement, adding that the situation was “relatively stable” Wednesday evening.

“Measures are being taken together with Russian peacekeepers to stabilise the situation,” the Karabakh army said.