Author: Khoyetsian Rose

Turkish press: Turkish parliament details Armenia’s rights violations

Khoyetsian Rose
Emin Avundukluoglu   |15.04.2021

ANKARA

Turkey’s parliament on Thursday approved a report on rights violations by the Armenian side during last fall’s battle to liberate the Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh (Upper Karabakh).

“During the war, known as the second Karabakh war, the Armenian army systematically violated international human rights,” explained Hakan Cavusolgu, the head of parliament’s Human Rights Committee.

He added that the army “used banned weapons such as cluster bombs and phosphorous bullets, deliberately attacked civilian residences, cemeteries, schools, healthcare buildings, economic sub-units such as electricity, gas, water and pipelines, and infrastructure foundations, as well as natural and cultural facilities.”

During the war, the Armenian army launched blatant attacks on civilians and civil settlements, Cavusoglu said.

“These attacks are war crimes,” he argued.

As a result of the war, 94 civilians died, 405 civilians were wounded, and 3,326 houses, 504 civil facilities, and 120 apartments were destroyed, he added.

Karabakh conflict

In 1991, the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh (Upper Karabakh), internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory, and seven adjacent regions.

On Sept. 27, 2020, the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During the 44-day conflict, which ended under a Nov. 10, 2020 deal, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from Armenian army occupation.

Athens: Deputy FM Vlasis meets with Armenian Ambassador to Athens

Khoyetsian Rose
Greek City Times
April 8 2021
by GCT P

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister, Professor Kostas Vlasis, met with the Armenian Ambassador to Athens, Fadey Charchoghlyan, on Tuesday.

On Twitter, the Deputy Foreign Minister posted a photo of him with Charchoghlyan and commented that it was taken “a few days before the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.”

The Armenian Genocide is commemorated on April 24.

“The ties that connect Greeks and Armenians are close and multidimensional, and the cooperation of our countries in matters of Diaspora is continuous and constructive,” he added.

Kostas Vlasis met with the Armenian Ambassador to Athens, Fadey Charchoghlyan, on April 6, 2021.

The Greek Foreign Ministry said that the meeting “took place in a very friendly climate” and that the two officials “underscored the excellent level of bilateral relations” between their countries.

They also discussed the potential for deepening these relations further.

Special mention was made of the Greeks in Armenia and the Armenians in Greece “who are a bridge of friendship between the two states.”

Armenians and Greeks in Athens rallying for Artsakh.

The pair also stressed the need, following the pandemic, to resume in-person meetings on diaspora issues to further enhance cooperation.

Armenia climb in FIFA World Ranking after three consecutive wins

Khoyetsian Rose
Public Radio of Armenia
April 7 2021

Armenia have climbed nine positions in FIFA World Ranking after three consecutive victories in the World Cup Qualification round and is currently ranked 90th.

Belgium top the ranking followed by France and Brazil.

This edition’s most improved side in terms of points, Armenia (90, +9), gained valuable ground thanks to a gain of 40.28 points, while Malawi (115, +8), Cabo Verde (73, +7), Ethiopia (140, +6), and Korea DPR (109, +6) also made considerable progress.

Armenian FM: Developing Trilateral Cooperation With Greece And Cyprus Is On The Agenda

Khoyetsian Rose
Greek City Times
March 29 2021
by Paul Antonopoulos

Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan said on Monday that developing relations with Greece and Cyprus is on their diplomatic agenda, Sputnik Armenia reported.

Ayvazyan added that his country is not building its foreign policy against any third party, such as Turkey.

Shirak Torosyan, a member of the ruling “My Step” faction, asked Ayvazyan whether he was going to activate the Armenia-Greece-Cyprus trilateral committee as a counterbalance to Turkey’s aggressive policy.

Shirak Torosyan.

According to the Armenian minister, this trilateral cooperation remains on Yerevan’s agenda, but they are not searching for enemies in the region.

“Armenia must develop a pragmatic approach in building its foreign policy, taking into account the security threats in the region,” Ayvazyan said.

“We will do our best to create a stable security environment along the Armenia’s entire border,” the minister stressed.

He added that in recent months, despite COVID-19 restrictions, he has made a number of foreign trips, and diplomats have been in active online contact with foreign partners to address the issue.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan.

In April 2020, the Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Greece and Cyprus reached an agreement to establish a trilateral cooperation on strengthening regional stability and security.

It was planned to hold a trilateral summit in Yerevan, but the event did not take place due to the pandemic and last year’s war.

It is noted that in an interview yesterday with Public Television, the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan refused to describe Turkey as an enemy state.

In response to the question on whether “Turkey is another enemy state for Armenia?” Grigoryan noted. “If we are going to open up, then there should be some corrections in our approaches, and we are working in that direction.”

When pressed further on whether Turkey is an “enemy states,” he said “it would not be right to state unequivocally that there is no threat from Turkey, but the events in the region also create other opportunities.”

Armen Grigoryan.

It is reminded that although some in Armenia are hopeful for reconciliation with Turkey, no such thing has occurred between Athens and Ankara despite the two being NATO members and the latter an EU Candidate state.

Armenpress: Projects worth 110 billion drams to be implemented in Artsakh through funds of Armenian government and Hayastan Fund

Khoyetsian Rose

Projects worth 110 billion drams to be implemented in Artsakh through funds of Armenian government and Hayastan Fund

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 11:59,

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 26, ARMENPRESS. The joint session of the Security Councils of Armenia and Artsakh was held in Yerevan on March 26 chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan, the Armenian PM’s Office told Armenpress.

Welcoming the session participants, the President of Artsakh stated that the decision on providing 110 billion drams for house-building and infrastructure restoration in Artsakh will play a great role for solving the humanitarian problems in Artsakh, as well as for its future development.

“There are already preliminary programs, some activities for constructing approximately 4,000 houses, and we will develop new projects on building 2,000 more houses in the next months. We always take into account today’s reality in these projects, and also plan the works of providing the locals with jobs, discuss also modern cooperation models”, the President of Artsakh said.

In his turn the Prime Minister of Armenia noted that the program worth 110 billion drams to be provided to Artsakh will be carried out through the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund.

“Currently, the Fund has 58 billion drams donated during its latest fundraising, and the Armenian government will provide 52 billion drams more. We have also made few more decisions according to which we not only must implement the provision of the Roadmap released by me on November 18, 2020 relating to the restoration of normal life in Artsakh, but also we must carry out development programs in Artsakh in order to have enough socio-economic development rates”, PM Pashinyan said, adding that today they will discuss also joint strategic approaches relating to the security environment.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Discussions with Venice Commission continue – lawmaker on electoral code amendments

Khoyetsian Rose

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 12:40,

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, ARMENPRESS. Member of Parliament Hayk Konjoryan from the ruling My Step bloc says discussions are ongoing over the amendments to the Electoral Code, including discussions with the Venice Commission.

He said the amendments envisage not just changing the electoral system, but numerous other changes as well.

The amendments package, which is already submitted to the Venice Commission, includes the issue of thresholds, increasing financial transparency, and several other changes which will improve the electoral code, Konjoryan said. “And we are ready to realize this commitment. The decision on shifting to a simple proportional electoral system has been made. At this moment discussions continue, our discussions with the Venice Commission also continue,” he said.

The Venice Commission is expected to issue its opinion soon.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Military’s structure, Armenia-Russia ties must be brought to conformity with current threat – defense minister

Khoyetsian Rose

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 16:50,

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS. The structure of the Armenian military and the Armenian-Russian relations must be brought to conformity with the created threat in order to prevent the Turkish-Azerbaijani army’s threat, the Armenian Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan said in parliament during a questions and answers session with lawmakers.

Harutyunyan stated that the military-political condition in the region has changed after the war. “Today, we are dealing with the Turkish-Azerbaijani army, which is getting more and more merged, and de facto we are dealing with the Turkish army. It is natural that in order to thwart this threat we must bring our army’s structure and the Armenian-Russian relations to conformity with the threat. And these reforms are aimed at this,” he said, when asked about the reforms in the military.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Justice Minister favors proportional system without preferential voting

Khoyetsian Rose

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 12:20,

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, ARMENPRESS. Justice Minister Rustam Badasyan says he believes that in the event of a consensus between political forces and the society, and if amendments to the Electoral Code would happen as quickly as possible, then there won’t be any obstacles for the early elections expected on June 20th to be held in a “clean” proportional system.

“We will express our stance,” he said when asked by reporters on the government’s stance over the matter. “But I think that for a long time the position among political forces, the civil society, or the majority of our public, in my opinion is that the preferential voting system isn’t the most convenient one for Armenia,” Badasyan said, adding that the ranked-voting system was considered to be a “concealed” majoritarian one for many years. He spoke in favor of a “clean” proportional system, noting that it is more political and is contributing to the establishment of political debates.

Badasyan reminded that parliament introduced into circulation a new electoral code, which has been submitted to the Venice Commission.

He said he believes a solution will take place soon.

Speaking about a consensus among political forces and the society, he said: “I think, in the event of the amendments taking place as quickly as possible, there won’t be any obstacle for the June 20 early elections to be held under a clean proportional system, with party lists.”

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

CivilNet: War Veterans, Injured But Undeterred – Arsen Hovakimyan’s Story

Khoyetsian Rose
CIVILNET.AM

22 Mar, 2021 03:03

Arsen Hovakimyan, a participant of the 4-day April war, was wounded during combat duty, four months before being demobilized. After receiving serious injuries, he spent seven months in the intensive care unit of the Muratsan Military Hospital, then underwent rehabilitation treatment.

Today, Arsen is sure that there are no physical limitations, and even the recovery process can be used to make your life better.

It is a stress for us every time to cross under Azeri flags, the head of Kajaran community says –

Khoyetsian Rose
Panorama, Armenia

The residents of Syunik province have shown their real attitude toward the current leaders of Armenia, the head of Goris community Arush Arushanyan stated on Saturday during the congress of “Reviving Armenia” party. Arushanyan’s remarks came when asked to comment on Deputy Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan’s statement that Pashinyan would get more votes in Syunik than in Yerevan at present and during the elections. 

Board member at “Revivng Armenia” party, head of Meghri community Mkhitar Zakaryan, in turn, said, dignity and honor are some of the characteristics Syunik residents have been known for.  

“It is below my dignity to respond to Alen Simonyan’s remarks. If his predictions come true I will accept I do not know well my people,” Zakaryan said. 

As to possible visits of the representatives of the government to Syunik province, Zakaryan noted they would hardly dare to visit Syunik and pass near the Shurnukh dangerous areas, where the Azeri forces are deployed.  

Head of Kajaran community Manvel Paramazyan, who is also a board member at the party, stressed that Syunik has always been united, and there can be no second opinion on that. 

“I feel pain every time to cross under the flags of Azerbaijan. That is a stress for our people. Syunik residents are the ones who bear it. During the elections they will show their character,” said Paramazyan. 

The heads of communities stated that they enjoy respect among the locals, and the people are determined to support them during the elections. “Let me confess that I welcomed the new authorities in Armenia hoping for a change, yet we received only lies and empty promises. All of you have seen how we ended. That is the reason we called for the resignation of Pashinyan and will stick to our demand. We will continue till the end when a new government is formed.” said the head of Tatev community Murad Simonyan.