Author: Liana Toganian

PM Pashinyan congratulates Georgian counterpart on national holiday

Liana Toganian

Save

Share

 10:11, 26 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory message to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on the occasion of the country’s national holiday.

The message, published by the Prime Minister’s Office, reads as follows,

“Your Excellency,

I warmly congratulate you on the national holiday of Georgia – the day of restoration of state independence.

The inviolable path of independent statehood of friendly and neighboring Georgia is important in terms of Armenian and Georgian peoples preserving their own identity and religious values for centuries, standing with each other in difficult periods of history, and adhering to the spirit and essence of friendship.

I am confident that the effective experience of multifaceted cooperation at the core of the relations between our two countries will be complemented in the future with new and mutually beneficial achievements through investment of necessary efforts, for the benefit of the welfare of the peoples of the two countries, for overcoming existing regional challenges and for progress.

I wish you good health and fruitful activity, and welfare and lasting peace to the brotherly people of Georgia”.

Azerbaijani forces seriously injure Armenian soldier along border

Liana Toganian
The Jerusalem Post
By TZVI JOFFRE

 

Published: MAY 29, 2022 00:48

Azerbaijani forces fired at Armenian forces along the southeastern part of the border between the two countries on Saturday morning, injuring one Armenian soldier, according to the Armenian Defense Ministry.

The Azerbaijani forces used a number of different firearms, including sniper rifles, according to the report. The injured soldier was seriously injured in the incident and the Armenian forces responded with unspecified “retaliatory actions.”

The incident comes about a week after Armenia and Azerbaijan both claimed that the other country had fired toward the border.


Last week, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry claimed Armenian armed forces fired on Azerbaijani forces in the Kalbajar District, adding that Azerbaijani forces took “adequate retaliatory measures.” The Armenian Defense Ministry denied the claims, calling it misinformation.

A day later, the Armenian Defense Ministry claimed that Azerbaijani forces fired on Armenian forces near the border, injuring an Armenian soldier. The Armenian forces carried out “retaliatory actions.”


The clashes came shortly before Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met in Brussels to continue peace talks between the two countries.

Earlier this month, Armenia’s Defense Ministry claimed that Azerbaijani troops had fired at Armenian military positions and at the Sotk gold mine in eastern Armenia, injuring one miner. Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry denied the report, calling it “false and disinformation.”

Earlier that week, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry claimed that Armenian forces fired at Azerbaijani forces in the village of Zeylik, around 30 kilometers from the city of Ganga and nearly 40 kilometers from the border, adding that “adequate response measures” were taken by Azerbaijani forces. The Armenian Defense Ministry called the claim “misinformation.”


A week before that incident, Azerbaijan’s State Border Service claimed that a “sabotage group” of the Armenian Armed Forces attempted to infiltrate Azerbaijan and warned that it would take “more serious measures” if the incident was repeated.

On April 6, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to hold peace talks to address tensions over the Nagorno-Karabakh area.

In 2020, a war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and nearby areas, ending just over a month later with a new line of contact drawn and Russian peacekeepers deployed along the line. Sporadic clashes have been reported along the line since the war.



Police officers of Armenia enhance their knowledge on combating violence against women and domestic violence

Liana Toganian
Council of Europe
May 20 2022
YEREVAN 20/05/2022

50 police officers from the specialised division of the police of Armenia enhanced their knowledge on combating violence against women and domestic violence during two training sessions held on 12-13 May and 19-20 May 2022 in Yerevan.

The trainings aimed at improving the capacity of the police to effectively apply international and European standards on violence against women and domestic violence, provision of comprehensive response and protection principles, applying the victim-centred approach and avoiding double victimisation. Maro Matosian, director of Women’s Support Centre NGO and Armen Grigoryan, PhD in Law, defence attorney, “Investment Law Group” used interactive training methods to help police officers to enhance their knowledge and develop skills on violence risk assessment.

“Thanks to this interactive training and competent trainers we had a good chance to discuss the international standards in the area of domestic violence as well as the mechanism of application of those standards within national jurisdiction. We have police officers from different regions in this training, who shared their experience and learned the best practices presented. It was especially interesting to discuss and assess the risks related to the possibility of an escalation of violence and plan a comprehensive response and protection to victims of domestic violence”, indicated Hasmik Aleksanyan, Police Lieutenant Colonel.

The series of trainings were organised within the framework of the Council of Europe project “The Path towards Armenia’s ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence” in cooperation with the Police of Armenia.


https://www.coe.int/en/web/genderequality/-/police-officers-of-armenia-enhance-their-knowledge-on-combating-violence-against-women-and-domestic-violence





Armenia denies Aliyev’s “corridor” narrative, says Brussels agreements related to opening of regional communications

Liana Toganian
Public Radio of Armenia
, 13:29

 1 minute read

No road or transport route in the logic of a corridor can function in the territory of Armenia, the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan told Armenpress.

The comments come after Azerbaijani President said during a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that during the trilateral meeting in Brussels the sides had reached an agreement on the opening of a corridor through Armenian territory, including the construction of both railways and highways.

“There have been no changes in the positions of the Republic of Armenia. No road or transport route in the logic of a corridor can function in the territory of Armenia. All agreements reached in Brussels relate to the opening of regional communication, which I talked about yesterday. All agreements reached in Brussels fit in the framework of the public statements made previously by representatives of Armenia,” Grigoryan said.

He added that it can be seen in the statement of the President of the European Council that the agreements in the context of opening of regional communications relate to the border and customs control, road fees and international transit.

“These are important issues for realizing the Armenian Crossroads project, and the Government of Armenia will consistently move in this direction,” the Security Council Secretary said.

https://en.armradio.am/2022/05/24/armenia-denies-aliyevs-corridor-narrative-says-brussels-agreements-related-to-opening-of-regional-communications/

Azerbaijan determines composition of commission on delimitation, demarcation of borders with Armenia

Liana Toganian
NEWS.am
Armenia –
16:04, 20.05.2022

Azerbaijan has determined the composition of the national commission for the delimitation and demarcation of borders with Armenia.

Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov said this today at a meeting of CIS heads of government held via videoconference, APA reports.

The Prime Minister noted that Azerbaijan also determined the composition of the delegation for the preparation of a peace treaty with Armenia.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda to arrive in Armenia on official visit

Liana Toganian

Save

Share

 12:37,

YEREVAN, MAY 16, ARMENPRESS. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda will arrive in Armenia May 19-20 on an official visit, the Lithuanian presidency’s press service said.

President Nausėda will have meetings with President Vahagn Khachaturyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan.

The regional security situation in the South Caucasus, the democratic reforms in the country, the EU-Armenia cooperation in the Eastern Partnership framework, as well as the bilateral relations between Lithuania and Armenia will be discussed during the meetings.

President Nausėda will also have a meeting with the Armenian Apostolic Church’s Catholicos Karekin II.

The Lithuanian President will meet the Lithuanian community of Armenia and will also visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan.

Before the Armenia visit, the President of Lithuania will travel to Azerbaijan.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 12-05-22

Liana Toganian

Save

Share

 17:25,

YEREVAN, 12 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 12 May, USD exchange rate down by 6.74 drams to 460.13 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 11.98 drams to 480.24 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.16 drams to 7.02 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 13.98 drams to 561.86 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 482.37 drams to 27396.86 drams. Silver price down by 5.92 drams to 322.28 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.

Buric says alert is posted on their platform regarding disproportionate violence against journalists in Armenia

Liana Toganian
NEWS.am
Armenia –
12:55, 12.05.2022

“As far as alleged disproportionate violence against journalists is concerned, an alert has already been posted on our Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists: A reply from the authorities is awaited.” The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić replies to my letters on police violence. Taguhi Tovmasyan, an MP of the opposition “With Honor” Faction in the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia and Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, wrote this on Facebook. Tovmasyan added as follows:

Regarding the cases on using disproportionate force by the police against citizens exercising their rights to peaceful assembly on April 29 and May 2, on the bodily injuries of people, also the cases on violence against journalists, I addressed the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić. In my letter I presented the situation in Armenia thoroughly, the evidently violent actions violating human rights. I requested my colleague to give relevant reaction to such cases as her public opinion may play a key role in the prevention of violence and protection of human rights.

The Secretary General, replying to my letter, writes that freedom of peaceful assembly is one of the foundations of a democratic, tolerant and pluralist society. It is guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights, as interpreted by the European Court of Human Rights including in cases concerning Armenia.

CoE Secretary General expects the police in their actions to adopt a human rights-based approach to policing assemblies and the use of force by law enforcement agencies should be lawful, necessary, proportionate and limited to cases where it is strictly unavoidable. Force should only be applied to the minimum extent necessary.

“Be assured that the Council of Europe and its relevant institutions will remain attentive to the situation and continue to work with the authorities in Armenia – as in other member states – to uphold these principles.

Marija Pejčinović Burić sums it up:

“As far as alleged disproportionate violence against journalists is concerned, an alert has already been posted on our Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists. A reply from the authorities is awaited”.

Surely I will continue with my efforts to share with the replies of other influential international organizations in the wake of achieving their consent for publicizing their opinions on such pressing issues.

Moscow`s intensified activities in South Caucasus its response to West – Alexander Skakov

Liana Toganian
ARMINFO
Armenia – May 3 2022
David Stepanyan

ArmInfo. Moscow’s intensified activities in the South Caucasus is its response to the West’s steps to isolate Russia, including in the South Caucasus, Alexander Skakov,  Deputy Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies, RF Academy of  Sciences, said in an interview with ArmInfo. 

“It is common knowledge that, especially after the war broke out in  Ukraine, the West has spared no effort to prevent the formation of  any regional cooperation formats involving Russia. And given the  sactions, including diplomatic sanctions, aimed at isolating Russia  Moscow needs – as never before – to intensify its policy in the  Caucasus as well,” he said. 

In such critical conditions Moscow is more active, and the 3+3 format  mentioned in the final communiqu‚ of the latest meetings between the  Russian and Armenian leaders in Moscow is evidence thereof. Under the  circumstances, all the regional formats – even those initiated by  Turkey – are of importance for Russia if it is directly involved. 

The major problem in implementing the 3+3 format is, according to Mr  Skakov, Georgia’s unwillingness to participate because of Russia.  Tbilisi is thus “breaking the format” in the aforementioned West’s  interests, which will by no means prevent Georgia’s leadership from  showing restraint in dealing with Moscow over Ukraine. 

“In any case, Russia’s special relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan  could well cause them to attempt to attract Georgia too to the 3+3 or  to other regional cooperation formats. And the 3+3 will be much more  efficient after the regional communications are unblocked, a rather  complicated, but feasible process, which, beyond doubt, has pretty  good prospects and is, by and large, in the interests of all the  participants,” Mr Skakov said.

Armenian Minister of Defense presents regional military-political situation to Kansas National Guard leadership

Liana Toganian

Save

Share

 13:58, 3 May, 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan held a meeting with the delegation of the Kansas National Guard led by Adjutant General, Major-General David Weishaar.

Speaking on the Armenia-Kansas military cooperation, the sides were pleased to note that effective actions are implemented in the peacekeeping, military-education, military-medical and other areas.

Papikyan attached importance to the continuous support of the US government, and particularly the Kansas National Guard to the Armenian military reforms.

A number of issues related to the regional security were also discussed.

Papikyan presented the military-political and security situation in the region, views were exchanged on strengthening peace and stability in the current geopolitical situation.