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Author: Hovik Karapetian

Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia to hold trilateral meeting

Hovik Karapetian
Foreign Brief
  • In Daily Brief
  • Cian Muenster

The Foreign Ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan will meet today to attempt a mediation of Armenian-Azerbaijani tensions.

Today’s meeting comes amid renewed border clashes in the Nagorno Karabakh region. Notably absent from the meeting is a representative from Turkey—a country that traditionally backs Azerbaijan in its conflicts with Armenia. The absence of Turkey may be an attempt by Russia to sway Azerbaijan towards its sphere of influence and away from Turkey. A closer Azerbaijan-Russian relationship could help Russia compensate for a reduced ability to act in the region due to its ongoing war with Ukraine. Russia’s strategy is likely an attempt to counter European and Turkish attempts to further isolate Russia by swaying traditionally pro-Russian Armenia.

Still, Putin’s strategy is unlikely to succeed. Azerbaijan and its Turkish allies are instead more likely to exploit Russia’s distraction and force Armenia into an unfavorable agreement or instigate clashes in Nagorno Karabakh. Following the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan gained control over the majority of the disputed areas giving it the advantage in peace talks. While Russia maintains a peacekeeping force in the region which deters direct aggression, expect Azerbaijan to continue to test Armenian and Russian resolve through provocations.

Energy min. to visit Armenia to attend economic commission

Hovik Karapetian
MEHR News Agency (Iran)
May 9 2022

TEHRAN, May 09 (MNA) – Iranian Energy Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian will travel to Yerevan to attend the Iran-Armenia joint commission on economic cooperation.

Heading a high-ranking delegation, Mehrabian will depart for Yerevan, the capital of Armenia on Tuesday to take part in the joint economic cooperation commission of the two countries which is slated to be held on May 10-11.

Several topics including trade and offset, investment, transit and transportation, electricity and energy, oil and gas, banking and finance, standards, tourism, health and other related issues will be discussed at the commission.

On the sidelines of the commission, a trade conference will be held with the participation of private sector activists from the two countries.

Mehrabian will also discuss with Armenian officials the developing relations and exchange trade volume between the two countries.

Iranian deputy oil minister, managing director of National Iranian Gas Company, deputy road minister and several other Iranian officials will accompany Mehrabian during his visit to Yerevan. 

The Head of the Iran-Armenia Joint Chamber of Commerce recently stated that Iran’s exports to Armenia have experienced significant growth in the past year, adding that the trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union has also played an important and effective role in the development of Iran’s trade relations.

MP/5485656/IRN84746460

Azerbaijani press: Azerbaijan, NATO discuss ties, military-political situation in region [PHOTO]

Hovik Karapetian
29 April 2022 17:27 (UTC+04:00)
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Azerbaijani Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov and NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Javier Colomina have met to discuss prospects for the development of bilateral relations and the regional military and political situation.

At a meeting held in Baku on April 29, Hasanov spoke about the positive results achieved in the field of cooperation with NATO. He emphasized the importance of further developing relations between the sides.

Furthermore, the delegation was informed on the reforms carried out in the Azerbaijan army in line with President Ilham Aliyev’s instructions, as well as the work done in the liberated territories and the current situation on the Azerbaijan-Armenian state border.

Expressing gratitude for the warm welcome, Colomina highly appreciated the close cooperation of the Azerbaijani and Turkish armed forces.

He underlined this cooperation’s significant contribution to Azerbaijan-NATO relations.

The two officials also discussed other issues of mutual interest.

Earlier, the visiting NATO official met President Ilham Aliyev. Furthermore, Colomina was received by  Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

Colomina arrived in Azerbaijan on April 28. In his capacity as NATO secretary-general’s special representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, he is making his second trip to the South Caucasus. 

This visit is part of regular consultations between NATO officials and representatives from Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia, and is an important format for taking stock of NATO relations with partners and exchanging views on future political dialogue and cooperation, particularly in light of ongoing preparations for the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid.

The NATO official earlier visited Armenia and Georgia, where he had met with top Armenian officials, Georgian officials, MPs, representatives of international organizations, and civil society. 

Relations with NATO started in 1992 when Azerbaijan joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. This forum for dialogue was succeeded in 1997 by the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, which brings together all Allies and partner countries in the Euro-Atlantic area.

Bilateral cooperation began when Azerbaijan joined the Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme in 1994. Thanks to regular participation in PfP activities, Azerbaijan has been able to contribute actively to Euro-Atlantic security by supporting NATO-led peace-support operations.

Azerbaijan’s participation in the PfP Planning and Review Process (PARP) since 1997 has allowed NATO and individual Allies to assist Azerbaijan in developing selected units to improve interoperability with those of the Allies.

NATO and Azerbaijan started work on a jointly agreed Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) in 2008 to integrate NATO standards into the teaching methodologies and curricula of the country’s Professional Military Education (PME) institutions.

In 2018, Azerbaijan asked NATO to also involve the Military High School, a pre-commissioning school, in DEEP.

Armenia reports 2 daily COVID-19 cases

Hovik Karapetian

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 11:07,

YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. 2 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Armenia in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 422,867, the ministry of health said.

2833 tests were conducted on April 29.

The daily recoveries rose by 12 (411,050 total recoveries).

No death case has been registered. The death toll stands at 8622.

As of April 30, the number of active cases is 1512.

Israeli lawmaker marks Armenian genocide in capital Yerevan

Hovik Karapetian
i24 News, Israel

i24NEWS

, 08:05 AM

Meretz MK Mossi Raz participates in ceremony despite Israel not formally recognizing event as a genocide

Israeli lawmaker Mossi Raz on Sunday was in Armenia’s capital Yerevan for a ceremony marking the anniversary when the Armenian genocide began on April 24, 1915.

A member of Knesset (Israel’s parliament) from the left-wing Meretz party, Raz participated in the event despite his country not formally recognizing the genocide and as Israel renews its relations with Turkey, which rejects accusations of genocide pointed at the Ottoman authorities of the time.

Raz laid a wreath at the memorial to the estimated 1.5 million Armenian Christians who died at the hands of the Ottoman Turks from spring 1915 through autumn 1916.

“The time has come to remember the victims everywhere where cruel racism has been expressed,” Raz said at the ceremony. “This is our obligation as Jews and humans.”

Raz was scheduled to meet on Monday with Armenian Foreign Ministry officials and members of the Armenian parliament.

In 2021, Joe Biden became the first US president to describe the mass killings of Armenians during World War I as a genocide, and on Sunday the leader issued a statement memorializing the systematic killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks.

“As we reflect on the Armenian genocide, we renew our pledge to remain vigilant against the corrosive influence of hate in all its forms,” Biden said. “We recommit ourselves to speaking out and stopping atrocities that leave lasting scars on the world.”

Azerbaijan president does not like it when senior Armenia officials talk about OSCE Minsk Group

Hovik Karapetian
NEWS.am
13:30, 22.04.2022

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev does not like it when high-ranking Armenian officials talk about the OSCE Minsk Group, which was set up to “perpetuate the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia,” Azerbaijani media reported.

“As for the mediators, unfortunately, today high-ranking officials in Armenia still speak about the Minsk Group. I think it’s nonsense, and it does not make sense. The Minsk Group was actually paralyzed in 2019. This group, which received a mandate to resolve this issue in 1992, has achieved virtually no results. Now, looking at the history, actions, and proposals of its group, we can see once again that it was created not to solve the problem, but to perpetuate the occupation [of Azerbaijani territories],” Aliyev said in his address at the 5th Congress of World Azerbaijanis—in the Azerbaijani-occupied Armenian city of Shushi, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

“I am often asked what will happen to the OSCE Minsk Group. I have said that the OSCE Minsk Group will mark its 30th anniversary in 2022, and then retire. But after the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, they do not even have the opportunity to mark the anniversary,” Aliyev added.

Families of soldiers killed in 44-day war want to pitch tent at Freedom Square in Yerevan

Hovik Karapetian
NEWS.am
Armenia –
20:44, 21.04.2022

The families of the soldiers killed in the 44-day Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war in the fall of 2020 have decided to hold a sit-in at Freedom Square in downtown Yerevan, they are trying to put up a tent there, but the police are not allowing it.

They are joining the two young participants of the 44-day war who are on hunger strike at Freedom Square.

Chess: Armenia’s Gabriel Sargissian becomes Vice-Champion of European Individual Chess Championship

Hovik Karapetian
Public Radio of Armenia
April 6 2022
April 6, 2022, 22:35

 

Armenian Grandmaster Gabriel Sargissian became vice-champion of the European Individual Chess Championship held in Slovenia.

In the last 11th round the Armenian shared a point with Latasa Santos of Spain, earning a total of 11 points from 8.5 possible.

Sargissian was level on points with Germany’s Matthias Bluebaum, but the latter was crowned champion due to additional parameters.

‘We support stable and lasting peace’ – Artsakh President

Hovik Karapetian

‘We support stable and lasting peace’ – Artsakh President

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 15:39, 9 April, 2022

YEREVAN, APRIL 9, ARMENPRESS. President of the Republic of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan chaired an extended-format session of the government today, his Office said.

Firstly, the President presented the latest military-political developments of the Republic and then outlined the main actions to be taken in the public administration system in accordance with the logic of the current situation.

“We support stable and lasting peace, but we can not bargain our people’s demand by refusing from the right to self-determination”, the President of Artsakh said, adding that given the new geopolitical realities, a number of changes will be made to the agenda of the government based on necessity.

He said that discussions will soon start with political forces on forming a common political agenda which first of all will be based on the risks expected from the external security challenges facing Artsakh.

“The talk is not about forming a coalition government. But we all understand that we need a firm internal unity. Therefore, my call is to all members of the Cabinet, all circles of the public to stand by each other in order to successfully overcome the problems facing our state and people”, he said.

The President also said that the government is going through strict savings of financial resources, but added that this doesn’t mean that the approved programs won’t be implemented.

During the meeting the President of Artsakh gave a number of instructions to the responsible officials over the issues discussed.

Moderna co-founder discusses making a difference, his push to transform Armenia into tech-creating nation

Hovik Karapetian
FOX 11 – Los Angeles
April 1 2022
By Araksya Karapetyan
Published April 1, 2022 7:38PM

LOS ANGELES – As April marks Armenian History Month in LA County, FOX 11 is highlighting an organization and a man who is making a difference in people’s lives.

This week, we spoke with Dr. Noubar Afeyan, who is the co-founder and chairman of Moderna and founder-CEO of Flagship Pioneering. Dr. Afeyan is the co-founder and chairman of Moderna and the founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering. 

He is also the co-founder of FAST (Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology). Dr. Afeyan traveled to Los Angeles to serve as the keynote speaker for the Advance Armenia Gala, FAST’s inaugural fundraising gala. 

FAST is working to transform Armenia from a largely technology-consuming nation to a technology-creating nation. Dr. Afeyan is deeply involved in many philanthropic efforts — many of which involve Armenia. Over the years, he has received many awards for his entrepreneurial and philanthropic contributions, including helping with the formation of 76 healthcare and life sciences companies.

All of these companies have been at the interface between biology, technology science and chemistry. One of the companies, of course, is Moderna, which is now famous for having created the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Afeyan was born in Beirut, Lebanon to Armenian parents. He lived there until the civil war in 1975. As a teenager, he and his family escaped to Montreal, Canada as political refugees. 

He attended McGill University, majored in chemical engineering and went on to graduate from MIT. And at 24, he started his own company.

You can click here for more information on Dr. Afeyan. 

Below is Araksya’s full interview with Dr. Afeyan:

https://www.foxla.com/news/moderna-co-founder-discusses-making-a-difference-his-push-to-transform-armenia-into-tech-creating-nation