Author: Khoyetsian Rose

Pashinyan, Pelosi Discuss U.S.-Armenia Relations, Regional Stability

Khoyetsian Rose
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

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

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan welcomes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sept. 18


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is leading a Congressional delegation to Armenia, on Sunday met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to discuss furthering relations between the United States and Armenia, as well as highlight the importance of security and stability in the region.

Pelosi, whose delegation includes representatives Frank Pallone, Jackie Speier and Anna Eshoo, strongly condemned what she called the “illegal attacks” by Azerbaijan on Armenia’s territory and emphasized the importance of democracy, sovereignty and security during a press conference earlier on Sunday.

Pashinyan and Pelosi also discussed the recent aggression by Azerbaijan against Armenia’s sovereign territory and issues relating to the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani units from Armenia’s territory. The possibilities of the unblocking of transportation infrastructure in the region, the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict were also touched upon.

In welcoming Pelosi to Armenia, Pashinyan underscored “the clear position of the United States” following Azerbaijan’s aggressive attack last week on Armenia’s sovereign territory. Referring to the United States Security Council session focusing on the large-scale attacks, Pashinyan said that Yerevan is looking to the U.S. to keep the matter of Armenia’s sovereignty on the Security Council’s agenda.

“We see the readiness of the US government to support the democratic agenda in our country. I want to express our dedication to the agenda of democratic reforms, despite the fact that, as you see, it’s not an easy path,” Pashinyan told Pelosi and the delegation.

“The support to democracy in Armenia, the resolution on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the counteraction to Turkey over Nagorno Karabakh, and in all other terms we are the friend of Armenia. We are here by respecting your government,” Pelosi told Pashinyan.

“The thing is that when we travel to any country, it has a purpose of showing respect, listening and learning, but I can say frankly that this delegation which came from the United States to Armenia has brought with it the love and the respect of the American people to your government and the love to the people of Armenia,” added Pelosi.

The Speaker of the House assured that the U.S. will continue actively contributing to the programs aimed at further expanding “the bilateral multisectoral mutual partnership and developing democracy in Armenia,” according to Pashinyan’s press office.

Pelosi and her delegation visited the Dizidernagapert Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex, where Pelosi was awarded Armenia’s “Order of Honor.”

She also gave a speech at the Cafesjian Center for the Arts, in an event organized by the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, where she reiterated the U.S.’s support to protecting Armenia’s security and sovereignty.

Pelosi also touched the House passage of the Armenian Genocide resolution in 2019 and the eventual recognition by President Joe Biden in 2021. She praised her colleague and the author of the resolution, Rep. Adam Schiff for his tireless efforts in advocating for Armenian issues in Congress.

Over 80 firefighters, military helicopter re-deployed near Ijevan Wine Factory to extinguish grassfire

Khoyetsian Rose

Save

Share

 11:18, 3 September 2022

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS. Over 80 firefighters and a military helicopter are deployed to tackle the grassfire near the Ijevan Wine Factory as the firefighting operation resumed Saturday morning, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said.

The grassfire is blazing since August 31.

Around 5-6 ha of grasslands are on fire.

3 of the 4 directions of the fire have been extinguished so far.

Yerevan Days celebrated in Gyumri

Khoyetsian Rose

Save

Share

 11:45, 3 September 2022

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS. The highly anticipated Yerevan Days events were celebrated in Gyumri on September 2.

Mayor of Yerevan Hrachya Sargsyan and his deputy Levon Hovhannisyan visited the city and joined Gyumri Mayor Vardges Samsonyan to mark the event. City councilors and city hall staffers from both Yerevan and Gyumri were also in attendance.

The celebrations kicked off at Rustaveli Street, where the culture, arts and crafts of Gyumri was presented to visitors. Meanwhile, on Abovyan street, craftsmen from Yerevan were presenting their art.

A musical and theatrical play was held at the Isahakyan House-Museum.

The events also featured exhibitions.

As part of the events, Yerevan City Hall donated new instruments to the Ani Children’s Concert Band, which was still using worn out instruments.

Yerevan Mayor Hrachya Sargsyan thanked his Gyumri counterpart for the warm reception.

In his speech, he described Gyumri as the “cradle of our arts and crafts, without any exaggeration the anchor of Armenianness, which is feeding and giving the strength to live to every Armenian.”

 



Importance of ensuring security on Armenian-Azeri border emphasized during Putin-Aliyev call

Khoyetsian Rose

Save

Share

 15:02, 3 September 2022

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone talk with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and discussed in detail, among others, the situation in South Caucasus, the Kremlin said in a readout.

The importance of ensuring stability and security on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and coordinated efforts for establishing economic and transport connections in the region was noted. In this context the intention to consistently implement the trilateral agreements signed between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on 2020 November 9, 2021 January 11 and November 26 was reiterated.

Aliyev informed Putin about the August 31 EU-mediated meeting with Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan in Brussels.

Expert: Berdzor and Aghavno are a classic example of ethnic cleansing

Khoyetsian Rose
ARMINFO
Armenia – Aug 31 2022
David Stepanyan

ArmInfo.All recent events in Berdzor and Aghavno are a classic example of ethnic cleansing, in other words, an international crime. Former MP of the Armenian  parliament, lawyer Taron Simonyan, expressed a similar opinion to  ArmInfo.

On August 29, the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh disseminated  information according to which traffic along the Lachin corridor will  stop on the evening of August 31. After August 31, communication with  Armenia will be carried out through a new corridor, through the  territory of the Berdadzor sub-district of the Shushi region of the  republic. The movement along which began on the evening of August 30.  The redeployment of the Russian peacekeeping contingent is proceeding  in the same way and on time.

“And if someone thinks that all this will end with Berdzor and  Aghavno, then this someone is clearly mistaken. Azerbaijan will  continue to put pressure on us, organize various provocations and put  us before the fact until our leadership expresses a clear position  regarding specific issues. And, of course, it will not begin to act  in the direction of protecting Armenian interests. With its own  forces, by creating powerful resistance within the country, since  there is no need to rely on third forces,” he is convinced.

There is certainly a similar resource within the Armenian society, in  Simonyan’s opinion. It just needs to be organized and consolidated  around a common idea, backed up by a gradual build-up of  military-technical potential. According to the lawyer, peace with  Azerbaijan is possible only if Armenia becomes a normal state with  powerful institutions.

In the opinion of the lawyer, the same protection of the interests of  the deported Artsakh people is possible through legal, diplomatic,  why not, military tools. Which, again, is based on an organized  society, consolidated around one common goal, ready for a long-term  conflict.

“In the end, we have the opportunity to sue Azerbaijan for violations  of seven international conventions.  Regarding the organization of  the same ethnic cleansing in Artsakh. What is not being done,  although the facts are obvious. For example, in the form of Baku’s  recent actions against residents of Armenian- populated villages of  the corridor. All this speaks of the main thing – Armenians cannot  and should not live together with Azerbaijanis,” Simonyan summed  up.

303 persons still missing as a result of 2020 Artsakh War according to ICRC data

Khoyetsian Rose

Save

Share

 11:21,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Kristinne Grigoryan addressed a message on the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

“Today is the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, which was established by a resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations.

The enforced disappearances of persons are a recurrent and ongoing violation of human rights. They are initiated by the permission or consent of state representatives and officials, and are followed by the denial or concealment of the whereabouts of the missing person.

Enforced disappearances have a severe impact both on the victims, who are usually subjected to torture and live in a constant fear on their lives, and on their relatives and family members, who are unaware of their fate, and live with constant anticipation of their return

Regrettably, the ongoing conflicts in the modern world have created a “favorable” environment for enforced disappearances, unfortunately we know this through our own example, and we continue to suffer the pain and constant battle of the victims of enforced disappearances and their relatives during and after the 44-day war.

According to the data presented by the International Committee of the Red Cross in August 2022, 303 persons are still considered missing as a result of the 44-day war in 2020.

The continuous Azerbaijani policy of providing distorted or no information at all on the prisoners of war, civilian captives, and missing persons is a blatant act of using human rights issues for political purposes, violating al norms of international humanitarian law.

Unfortunately, international response mechanisms to cases of enforced disappearances have demonstrated their lack of effectiveness during these critical days. Therefore, this is a reason to actively work with all competent actors in this direction.

At the same time, it should be noted that in order to implement the rules provided by international law, states must fix these norms in their respective domestic legislation and take all the necessary measures to ensure their implementation. Therefore, in this regard, The Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia is ready to work with the Government of Armenia in the direction of improving the domestic legislation and institutional framework aimed at ensuring the rights of missing persons and their relatives.

Taking all the necessary measures within the context of the mandate of the Human Rights Defender in finding and assisting the missing persons, I strongly condemn all cases of enforced disappearances, and I call on to unite all efforts and take all the necessary measures to find all missing persons and to effectively guarantee their rights and those of their families”, the message reads.

Surmalu: Body of last presumed missing person not found, search-and-rescue operations stopped

Khoyetsian Rose

Save

Share

 09:38, 24 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, ARMENPRESS. The search-and-rescue operations in the Surmalu trade center have been suspended Wednesday morning after authorities said they couldn’t find the body or remains of the last presumed missing person.

“Thorough search operations were carried out in the epicenter of the blast and the entire nearby area, in some parts even double search operations. Unfortunately, the body or remains of the missing person weren’t found,” Ministry of Emergency Situations spokesperson Hayk Kostanyan said in a statement.

The August 14 blast killed 16 people and injured more than 60.

1 person is presumed missing in the explosion.

Fire, explosion in Stepanakert building

Khoyetsian Rose

Save

Share

 14:08, 25 August 2022

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. An explosion occurred in a building in Stepanakert after a fire broke out, the Artsakh ministry of interior said.

Circumstances are being determined.

Other details weren’t immediately clear.

US State Department responds to Baku’s statement over appointment of new Co-Chair of OSCE Minsk Group

Khoyetsian Rose

Save

Share

 09:31,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. The United States Department of State responded to the statements made by the Azerbaijani foreign ministry over the appointment of the new US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group according to which such steps cannot contribute to the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.

When asked to comment on these statements of the Azerbaijani side, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson at Bureau of Global Public Affairs, said at a press briefing that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appointed Philip Reeker “to serve as the senior advisor for Caucasus negotiations to underscore our commitment to facilitating peace in the South Caucasus”.

“As a country, we are committed to facilitating direct dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia bilaterally, multilaterally, and in cooperation with likeminded partners to achieve a comprehensive peace settlement between the two countries”, Vedant Patel said.

He once again reminded that Ambassador Reeker will also represent the US both at the OSCE Minsk Group and at the Geneva International Discussions.

Asadov: Azerbaijan will create all conditions for partners in EAEU to use transit potential of country

Khoyetsian Rose
NEWS.am
Armenia – Aug 26 2022
16:29, 26.08.2022

Today, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov participated as a guest in a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in the city of Cholpon-Ata of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Prime Minister Ali Asadov said that Azerbaijan has close bilateral relations and economic ties with almost all member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

It was noted that these relations are based on the principles of mutual respect for territorial integrity, national sovereignty and consideration of each other’s interests.

According to the Prime Minister, cooperation based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests is the key to long-term peace, stability and sustainable development.

It was stressed that Azerbaijan pursues a strategic course aimed at ensuring cooperation, peace and building a sustainable security system on a regional and global scale. “In this context, we promote peace and dialogue, and make a valuable contribution to the development of cooperation in the Eurasian region,” the prime minister said.

He added that, being at the junction of Europe and Asia, Azerbaijan, together with its partners in the region, is involved in a whole complex of initiatives and projects aimed at developing transport communications, strengthening regional and continental trade.

Drawing attention of the meeting participants to the development indicators of Azerbaijan, Asadov said that despite the negative trends in the global economy, the country has recorded good economic growth rates for six months of 2022. Thus, in the first six months of this year the economic growth was 6.2%. Non-oil economy grew by 9.6 percent. Foreign trade has grown considerably – by more than 70 percent. The export of Azerbaijani goods has more than doubled, while non-oil export has grown by 25 percent.

It was noted that Azerbaijan has invested and continues to invest in the modernization of transport infrastructure for the implementation of projects to create international transport and logistics corridors.

It was stressed that Azerbaijan is an important link in a number of projects, such as international transport corridors North-South and East-West, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and others.

“We observe annual growth of cargo transportation through the territory of our country on various routes. Only for 6 months of the current year, the volume of transit traffic through various corridors has grown by more than 50 percent. The volumes of transit cargo going through the new international sea trade port of Alyat on the Caspian Sea are increasing. The port’s infrastructure can handle up to 15 million tons, including 100,000 TEU containers a year. Nevertheless, the growth of cargo flow and the related forecasts require increasing its throughput capacity. Given this, we have laid the second phase of expansion of transshipment capacity of the port up to 25 million tons of cargo and 500,000 TEU containers,” the Prime Minister said.

It was brought to attention that Azerbaijan is ready to continue creating all conditions for the EAEU partners to use the transit potential of the country.

It was expressed confidence that cooperation within the framework of transport projects connecting countries and continents will contribute to a stable, prosperous, dignified and predictable future across the Eurasian space.

“This thesis is reinforced by the new realities that have emerged in the region, which create good opportunities for unblocking transport communications, as well as opening new transport and trade routes,” added the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan.