Author: Kalashian Nyrie

Trilateral working group continues working aimed at opening transport routes – Russian MFA

Kalashian Nyrie

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 19:37, 30 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. The work of the trilateral working group headed by the Deputy Prime Ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan continues, ARMENPRESS reports the Deputy Head of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alexey Zaytsev said during the briefing.

 “The trilateral working group on unblocking economic and transport ties in the South Caucasus continues at the level of the Deputy Prime Ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia,” Zaytsev said.

​PACE put a spotlight on Turkey’s use of jihadists in Azerbaijani-Armenian war

Kalashian Nyrie

Sept 29 2021

PACE put a spotlight on Turkey’s use of jihadists in Azerbaijani-Armenian war

September 29, 2021
Abdullah Bozkurt/Stockholm

 

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Europe’s largest intergovernmental body that promotes the rule of law, identified Turkey as a country that sent Syrian jihadists to help Azerbaijan in last year’s conflict with neighboring Armenia.

In a resolution and annexed report that were approved after a heated debate on September 27, 2021, PACE noted that “there is worrying evidence of the use by Azerbaijan, with Turkey’s assistance, of Syrian mercenaries …” It urged Turkey to cooperate fully with the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on complaints lodged against Turkey over this action.

PACE made reference to the UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries  and said, “Azerbaijan, with Turkey’s assistance, used Syrian fighters during the six-week war, including on the frontline.”

“The fighters appeared to be motivated primarily by private gain and in the case of death their relatives were reportedly promised financial compensation as well as Turkish nationality,” it added.

The findings of the report were challenged by members of the Turkish and Azerbaijani delegations, who submitted  a series of amendments to remove references to mercenaries in the report. They, however, failed to secure enough votes, and their move was opposed by the rapporteur and the relevant committee that had approved them in an earlier meeting.

“We had high expectations of this report from Mr Paul Gavan [author of the report], but, unfortunately, it turned out to be a partial one instead of a neutral one,” lamented Ahmet Yıldız, head of the Turkısh delegation to PACE and a member of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which is led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He branded evidence that was cited by the ECtHR in its interim decision against Turkey as “social media clippings of dubious provenance and hearsay.”

“The use of mercenaries from Syria by Azerbaijan with Turkey’s assistance is a fact. This fact has been confirmed by the state security agencies of Iran, Russia, France, the USA, international media outlets, human rights watchdogs and NGOs, so this is the truth and it should be displayed,” said Ruben Rubinyan, an Armenian lawmaker, in his response to motions by the Turkish delegation to delete references to fighters in the report and resolution.

 

PACE report on the humanitarian consequences of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan:

Page 1 / 25Zoom 100%

 

The assembly rejected the amendment by a vote of 68 against, 28 in favor and 10 abstentions, keeping the references to the use of mercenaries by Azerbaijan with the help of Turkey. At the end of the debate, the resolution and its accompanying report were approved by an overwhelming majority despite opposition from the Turkish delegation, which included not only Erdoğan’s AKP but also lawmakers from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

PACE also confirmed the findings of the UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries, which indicated that the way these individuals were recruited, transported and used in and around the conflict zone appeared to be consistent with the definition of a mercenary.

The author of the report, Paul Gavan of Ireland, said he had seen photographs, videos and reports to the effect that mercenaries were used by Azerbaijan in the six-week war in 2020 and added that they back up allegations that Azerbaijan used foreign mercenaries.

Similar accusations were made against Turkey by UN human rights experts at the Working Group on the use of mercenaries — Chris Kwaja, Jelena Aparac, Lilian Bobea, Ravindran Daniel, and Sorcha MacLeod — over the involvement of the Turkish government in recruiting Syrian fighters to take part in military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkey claimed that videos showing mercenaries in the region were fake. However, Turkish diplomatic communication to the UN did not mention international media reports of interviews with Syrians who joined the fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia. It alleged that images of members of the Syrian National Army were recorded and circulated by Armenia.

In November 2020 UN rapporteurs had sent a joint letter to the Turkish government seeking further information on its role and “the circumstances surrounding the recruitment, financing, transportation and deployment of Syrian fighters to participate in the hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”

They noted that the alleged use of Syrian fighters by Turkey in hostilities in third states negatively impacts peace and security in the region. “The systematic and continuous recruitment of these fighters for financial compensation is particularly worrisome,” the letter said.

The UN expressed concern over the reported role of Turkish private military and security companies in facilitating the recruitment of Syrian fighters in alleged coordination with Turkish authorities.

The Turkish government’s response to the UN letter was conveyed by the country’s permanent mission to the UN office in Geneva via a note verbale dated January 21, 2021. “The press release by the Working Group on the use of mercenaries based on black propaganda products of fake images and fabricated news has undermined the credibility of the UN Special Procedures Mechanism,” the Turkish government stated.

 

Amendment submitted by the Turkish delegation aimed at removing references to the use of Syrian fighters by Azerbaijan with the help of Turkey. It failed to pass in the assembly vote:

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The joint letter was sent by the UN’s Chris Kwaja, chair-rapporteur of the working group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self- determination; Irene Khan, special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and _expression_; and Nils Melzer, special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

UN officials urged the Turkish government to provide information on “the command and control structure over the Syrian fighters deployed in support of Azerbaijani’ [sic] armed forces, including any measures in place to hold these fighters accountable for violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including specific examples.”

According to the UN rapporteurs, the deployment of Syrians contributed to the rapid escalation and intensification of hostilities and resulted in civilian harm and suffering. “During armed conflicts, mercenaries and mercenary-related actors are obliged, as are all other members of State armed forces or non-State armed groups party to a conflict, to respect the applicable rules of international humanitarian law,” they said.

 

Joint UN letter dated November 6, 2020:

https://nordicmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/UN-letter.pdf

 

According to reports received by the UN, members of the Hamza Division, Sultan Murad Division, Al-Amshat Faction and the Sultan Sliman Shah Brigade allegedly agreed to be transferred to Azerbaijan in return for monetary compensation. “Turkey allegedly contracts private military and security companies to facilitate the preparation of official and contractual documentation for the fighters, apparently in coordination with the Turkish security services,” the UN letter said.

Referring to a previous UN letter about the role of Turkey in deploying and financing Syrian fighters to take part in the conflict in Libya, the rapporteurs took note of the Turkish government’s reply, dated September 17, 2020, and said it did not substantively address the allegations raised.

In June 2020 the UN sent a letter to the Turkish government revealing how Turkey effectively recruited Syrian fighters from several Syrian armed groups to take part in military operations in Tripoli in support of the Government of National Accord (GNA).

 In that communication, SADAT and other possible Turkish contractors were also accused by UN agencies of recruiting children under 18 years of age to take part in the armed conflict in Libya. “Not only have these [Turkish] companies facilitated the recruitment and deployment of mercenaries from Syria to Libya, but, according to the available information, they have also contributed to the recruitment of children under 18 years of age to take part in an armed conflict,” the letter said.

“Turkish authorities allegedly contracted private military and security companies to facilitate the selection as well as the preparation of official and contractual documentation for the fighters, apparently in coordination with the Turkish security services. One of the companies cited in this context was Sadat International Defence Consultancy [SADAT],” the letter stated.

SADAT, which is fully funded and supported by the Turkish government, is owned by retired Gen. Gen. Adnan Tanrıverdi, the former chief military aide to President Erdoğan. Nordic Monitor has published several reports on SADAT’s activities and goals in Turkey and abroad.

Tanrıverdi announced in December 2019 that SADAT had been working to pave the way for the long-awaited mahdi (prophesied redeemer of Islam), for whom the entire Muslim world is waiting.

Opposition Turkish lawmakers had asked the government about the alleged role of SADAT in training Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Syrian al-Qaeda group Jabhat al-Nusrah (al-Nusrah Front) fighters and the alleged close relations between Turkish intelligence agency MİT and SADAT.

The reports can be read at the link below

CivilNet: Aliyev says he is ready to meet Pashinyan under the auspices of the OSCE

Kalashian Nyrie
CIVILNET.AM

29 Sep, 2021 10:09

  • Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev states that he is not against having a meeting with Pashinyan under the auspices of OSCE Minsk Group.
  • Azerbaijani and Iranian officials argue over military drills on the border between both nations.
  • Freedom House expresses concern over a criminal case initiated over Facebook user’s comments about Pashinyan.

Credits: Ruptly

Turkish press: Turkey expects Russia to take responsibility in Idlib deal: Minister

Kalashian Nyrie
 ANKARA DIPLOMACY 
SEP 28, 2021 12:04 PM GMT+3

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar speaks during a videoconference with military officials, Sept. 27, 2021 (AA Photo)

Turkey expects Russia to uphold its responsibilities in the Idlib deal, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Tuesday, underlining that Turkey has been abiding by the principles of the agreement.

“We hope that with the meeting our president will have with Mr. Putin, a return to peace will be possible as at the beginning of the memorandum of understanding,” he said as attacks on the last opposition bastion continue to increase.

Speaking to journalists, Akar commented on the attacks on Idlib saying: “They (Russia) say that they carry out these attacks against ‘terrorist groups there.’ However, among those that lost their lives or run from these attacks are no terrorists. We have been trying to explain this for months.”

He added that he might hold talks with his Russian counterpart.

Akar underlined that communication channels between Turkey and Russia are open and that Turkish soldiers in the field can hold meetings with Russian generals.

He also noted that the participation of all groups who have a say in the future of Syria in the constitution-making process under the coordination of the U.N. and holding elections with the participation of all actors are some of the main things that Turkey has been stressing since the beginning.

He also spoke on attempts by the PKK terrorist group’s Syrian wing, the YPG, to infiltrate despite an agreement with Russia in the Operation Peace Spring area.

“We had agreed that the terrorists there must withdraw however, their presence there continues. This is an issue in which we are right,” Akar said, indicating that Turkey is in talks with the U.S. and Russia in this regard, while Ankara also takes its own precautions and hinders terrorist attacks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will discuss the issue of Idlib in their upcoming meeting Wednesday in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Russia is the main ally of the Syrian regime, while Turkey supports groups that have fought to unseat Bashar Assad. However, Russian and Turkish troops have cooperated in Idlib, the final holdout of opposition forces, and in seeking a political solution in the war-torn country.

Despite backing opposing sides in both the Syrian and Libyan conflicts, Turkey and Russia have forged close cooperation in the defense, energy and tourism sectors.

NATO member Turkey has bought Russian S-400 air defenses – leading to U.S. sanctions on Turkish defense industries – and has been in talks with Russia over possibly buying a second batch.

Ankara and Moscow were rivals in Nagorno-Karabakh during fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenian forces last year. Russia eventually brokered a cease-fire between Turkey-backed Azerbaijan and Armenia, and is working with Ankara to monitor it.

Russia joined Syria’s now 10-year conflict in September 2015, when the regime military appeared close to collapse. Moscow has since helped in tipping the balance of power in favor of Assad, whose forces now control much of the country. Hundreds of Russian troops are deployed across Syria, and they also have a military air base along Syria’s Mediterranean coast.

During the past few years, Russian warplanes targeted the areas under the control of the Syrian opposition, initially launching attacks from Hmeimim Air Base in the west of the country.

Human rights organizations have published several reports accusing Russia of the death of tens of thousands of civilians in Syria since its intervention in 2015, while the international community has taken some actions against the Russia-backed Assad regime’s war crimes.

Furthermore, Putin and Assad recently met in Moscow to discuss the cooperation between their armies and how to continue operations to gain control of the last opposition-held areas in Syria. Putin blasted the presence of “foreign forces” in parts of Syria – an apparent reference to hundreds of U.S. troops who are in eastern Syria working with YPG/PKK terrorists, as well as Turkish troops in northern Syria. Putin said the presence of the foreigners is illegal because they have no approval by the U.N. or the Assad regime.

The Idlib region is home to nearly 3 million people, two-thirds of them displaced from other parts of the country.

Nearly 75% of the total population in the opposition-held Idlib region depends on humanitarian aid to meet their basic needs as 1.6 million people continue to live in camps or informal settlements, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

For years, the Assad regime has ignored the needs and safety of the Syrian people, only eyeing further gains of territory and crushing the opposition. With this aim, the regime has for years bombed civilian facilities such as schools, hospitals and residential areas, causing the displacement of almost half of the country’s population.

The situation of the people in Idlib worsened when the Assad regime, backed by Russia, launched an offensive on the province, causing the largest one-time displacement in the history of the Syrian civil war and a huge humanitarian tragedy, according to the U.N.

CSTO Thunder 2021 drug enforcement special forces drills to take place in Armenia

Kalashian Nyrie

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 13:58,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. From 24 to 28 September, this year, in the Republic of Armenia, special training “Thunder-2021” of the special forces of anti-drug departments, internal affairs and special services within formations of the special forces of the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces will be held. The training will take place in accordance with the Joint Training Plan for the command and control bodies and formations of the assets of the CSTO collective security system for 2021, the CSTO said in a press release.

In the course of the first phase, combined groups of Special Forces of the competent bodies of the CSTO member States and the Armenian Armed Forces will practice training and application tasks in the mountainous area with difficult terrain.

At the same time there will be a command and staff training with the operational personnel of the Operational Staff of the formations of special forces of the CSTO CRRF on the planning and conduct of the special operation.

In the process of solving training tasks special troops from CSTO member States together with units of the Armenian Armed Forces and Border Troops will practice interaction, gain experience and skills of participation in a special operation in conditions maximally close to real combat.

During the second phase of the training a competition in tactical shooting from combat weapons and the practical actions of combined operating and combat groups of special forces in solving problems within the mission will be held.

Ex-wife asks for privacy to protect son from disinformation as Armenian pop star Hayko battles COVID-19

Kalashian Nyrie

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 14:02,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Musician Hayko’s former wife has spoken out about the artist’s health condition after it was revealed that he’s hospitalized with COVID-19.

Fashion designer and singer Anahit Simonyan, who was married to Hayko from 2010 to 2020, released a statement on social media asking for privacy to safeguard their son Arman, who is unaware of the situation.

“Please, don’t spread disinformation. Our son Arman is unaware of this and is receiving numerous letters and questions. Please don’t write letters or ask questions to the child. I will be grateful if you don’t ignore my request,” Simonyan said.

She said that Hayko’s health condition has stabilized.

The Yerevan M. Heratsi Medical University’s Chief of Staff Shushan Danielyan issued a statement, saying that their medics are treating Hayko to overcome the “cruel COVID-19”.

“We’ve utilized everything we got, let’s hope he’ll overcome it,” she said.

News about the singer’s hospitalization was first came about on September 21, when it was reported that Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan visited him at the hospital as a personal friend. 

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

No contacts between Armenian and Turkish officials so far – PM’s Spokesperson

Kalashian Nyrie
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 20 2021


, 13:18

 2 minutes read

At the moment, no contacts have taken place between Armenian and Turkish officials, although the Armenian government is ready for such contacts, RA Prime Minister’s spokeswoman Mane Gevorgyan told Public Radio of Armenia. She referred to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statement that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan offered to meet with him through Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

“In all his international contacts, Prime Minister Pashinyan presents to his colleagues the vision of opening an era of peaceful development for Armenia and the region enshrined in the government’s program and expresses the readiness of the Armenian government to make efforts in that direction. The Prime Minister spoke about his vision for the start of talks with Turkey during a recent question-and-answer session with the National Assembly, saying that he believes that high-level contacts should be preceded by working discussions and shares this vision with international partners. There has been no contact between Armenian and Turkish officials so far, although the Armenian government is ready for such contacts. In case of such effective work, Armenia will be ready for high-level meetings as well,” Pashinyan said.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the Turkish President again spoke about the issue of opening a corridor through Armenia, saying that it was a political issue.

In this connection, Mane Gevorgyan said: “Prime Minister Pashinyan has spoken about it on many occasions. Armenia attaches importance to the accurate implementation of the agreements set out in the November 9 and January 11 statements. The opening of communications is extremely important for the establishment of lasting peace and stability in the region, overcoming the atmosphere of painful hostility in the region, and Armenia is determined to move in that direction and achieve results. In some statements, the topic of reopening communications is transformed and gets the logic of maintaining regional isolation.”

“Such is the talk about the corridors, which contradicts the logic of establishing peace and stability in the region, overcoming the atmosphere of hostility. It not only aims to isolate the states and peoples of the region, but also to make that isolation look irreversible. But there are also ways to open up regional communications that emphasize regional interconnectedness and can be a real way to overcome the hostility step by step. The Armenian government is in favor of such an option and that option is described in paragraph 9 of the November 9 trilateral statement and in the January 11 trilateral statement,” the Spokesperson noted.

Speaking about the perspectives of opening an era of peaceful development in the current conditions, Gevorgyan said: “Unfortunately, events taking place every day aim at delegitimizing the peace agenda, not only deepening the atmosphere of hostility but also making it more systematic. These and other steps are being taken to demonstrate the impossibility of peace in our region, but the Armenian government will consistently advance that agenda, using all opportunities to open an era of peace for our region and creating new opportunities. Prime Minister Pashinyan has repeatedly stated that we need strong nerves on this path and that there are no quick and easy solutions.”

TUMO Announces $50 Million "TUMO Armenia" Campaign To Extend Its Learning Network Nationwide

Kalashian Nyrie
Sept 18 2021

NEWS PROVIDED BY

TUMO 

Sep 18, 2021, 03:30 ET

YEREVAN, Armenia, Sept. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Marking TUMO’s 10 year anniversary and the inauguration of the new TUMO Gyumri building, the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies today announced a five year, $50 million initiative to make its leading edge educational program available to all teenagers throughout Armenia and Artsakh. With 110 satellite facilities called TUMO Boxes connected to 16 fully equipped TUMO Hubs in regional centers, the program will serve 80 thousand students and reach all young Armenians even in the most remote villages.

A $10 million seed fund donated by the Yemenidjian family will launch and support hubs in Vanadzor, Kapan and Koghb, along with TUMO Boxes that feed into these and three existing hubs. To raise the remaining $40 million, TUMO is kicking off an international fundraising campaign. The Armenian General Benevolent Union and Elie & Elzbieta Akilian have each pledged to match up to $10 million of funds raised in the first 2 years of the campaign. With $10 million in seed funding, a $20 million fundraising goal, and an additional $20 million in matching contributions, the deployment initiative is already underway.

The announcement was made during the anniversary celebration of the official opening of the new TUMO center in Gyumri in the presence of government representatives, partners and friends. TUMO founders Sam and Sylva Simonian joined via live video and gave opening remarks.

“Our vision has always been to empower all young Armenians to achieve their full potential,” said Sam Simonian. “And now we are setting out to fulfill that vision throughout Armenia and Artsakh.”

Also attending were Armen Yemenidjian, representing the Yemenidjian family, Vasken Yacoubian and Vera Setrakian on behalf of AGBU, Elie Akilian, on behalf of Elie & Elzbieta Akilian, via video feed, and TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian.

“My family is extremely excited and proud to be a part of this vital initiative to arm the next generation of Armenians with the tools necessary to compete in the global technology marketplace, no matter where they live in Armenia,” said Armen Yemenidjian. “We hope this initiative encourages our Armenian brothers and sisters in the diaspora to invest in the future leaders of our country and economy.”

“AGBU has supported the incredible mission and vision of TUMO since its expansion in Armenia and Artsakh, and this gift will solidify a partnership to benefit Armenian children for generations to come. It is an honor to be able to strengthen the relationship between TUMO, AGBU, and students and their families. I also wanted to thank the other generous donors who will be joining this important campaign,” said Dr. Eric Esrailian on behalf of the AGBU Council of Trustees and Central Board of Directors.

Donations in the United States are tax deductible, and can be made in the form of one time or recurring contributions to the general project or earmarked to specific hubs or boxes through https://armenia.tumo.org/.

More information about TUMO can be found in the electronic press kit.

About TUMO
TUMO Center for Creative Technologies is a free-of-charge education platform that puts teenagers in charge of their own learning. The TUMO program is made up of self-learning activities, workshops and project labs that cover a wide range of focus areas at the intersection of technology and design, including computer programming, animation, game development, music, robotics, 3D modeling, writing, filmmaking, graphic design and more. Over 20 thousand students currently attend TUMO centers in Armenia on a regular basis. In recent years, TUMO centers have also opened in Paris, Moscow, Tirana, Berlin and Beirut, with additional centers expected to open in Lyon, Los Angeles, Lisbon, Milan, Tashkent and Seoul. Licensing revenues from international locations contribute to the long term sustainability of TUMO in Armenia and Artsakh.

SOURCE TUMO

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tumo-announces-50-million-tumo-armenia-campaign-to-extend-its-learning-network-nationwide-301379828.html

——-

Also at

https://www.streetinsider.com/PRNewswire/TUMO+Announces+%2450+Million+%26quot%3BTUMO+Armenia%26quot%3B+Campaign+To+Extend+Its+Learning+Network+Nationwide/18955630.html

https://newsnationusa.com/news/finance/banking/tumo-announces-50-million-tumo-armenia-campaign-to-extend-its-learning-network-nationwide/

Nikol Pashinyan violated protocol during CSTO meeting in Dushanbe – REN TV

Kalashian Nyrie
Panorama, Armenia
Sept 18 2021

POLITICS 14:21 18/09/2021 ARMENIA

Nikol Pashinyan has violated the protocol during the meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Dushanbe, REN TV reported.

His motorcade was the first to arrive at the summit venue, although the CSTO secretary general was to arrive first, it said.

“Afterwards, there was a half-hour break. Even the guard of honor got tired of waiting.

“Nikol Pashinyan stood apart from the rest while being photographed after the meeting. When they were done, he tried to talk to his colleagues, but with no success,” the source said.

Armenian Defense Minister receives new Commander of Russian peacekeeping troops in Artsakh

Kalashian Nyrie

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 12:59, 9 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9, ARMENPRESSS. Defense Minister of Armenia Arshak Karapetyan received on September 9 the newly-appointed commander of the Russian peacekeeping troops in Artsakh, Major-General Mikhail Kosobokov and commander of the 102nd Russian military base in Armenia, Colonel Dmitry Ovcharov, the defense ministry of Armenia reports.

Minister Karapetyan congratulated Major-General Mikhail Kosobokov on appointment and wished success to his peacekeeping mission. He also congratulated Colonel Dmitry Ovcharov on appointment, highlighting the role and significance of the Russian military base in the territory of Armenia.

The Armenian defense minister also highly valued Russia’s efforts aimed at stabilizing the military-political situation in the region, as well as the process and efficiency of the Russian peacekeeping mission in Artsakh.

The meeting participants exchanged views on regional security-related issues during their talk.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan