Author: Liana Toganian

President of the Constitutional Court says political confidence inapplicable for judiciary system

Liana Toganian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 6 2020

Official reception was organized on Thursday on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the establishment of the Armenian Constitutional Court. The President of the Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan delivered remarks during the event.
“We should realize and definitely recognize that the Constitutional Court is not a political institution, and it is unacceptable to check the level of political confidence toward the Court. There can be no such practice,” Hrayr Tovmasyan said in his remarks.
In his words, the judiciary system is a specialized agency while its credibility is measured exclusively through the number of cases under consideration and the number of subjects participating in the proceedings.

“That is the only guarantee of trust,” Tovmasyan stressed, adding the judges who issue rulings just for pleasing someone may the next day rule against those people.

“Just remember, no one will ever bring independence on a tray . That is the case with states and institutions. It requires a struggle to get it,” the President of the Constitutional Court said. Tovmasyan also stressed that the judges of the Constitutional Court will never accept a decision for which they will feel ashamed anytime.

To note, earlier the Armenian parliament adopted a bill that envisages a possibility for CC judges to resign before the end of their mandate with several advantages, including a provision they will continue to receive their salaries and other benefits if they tender resignations. Since entering into force on December 27, 2019, no judge of the Court has applied for the scheme.

The authorities claim the new legislation remains voluntary and does not hinder the effective functioning of the Court, while opposition called the measure as ‘legal bribe to judges’, expressing concern the bill may be used as a tool by the political leadership to force the judges into resignation.

Armenia official: Crisis in judicial system must be resolved by constitutional amendments

Liana Toganian
News.am, Armenia
Jan 30 2020

16:12, 30.01.2020

YEREVAN. – The overall crisis in Armenia’s judicial system, in particular the Constitutional Court (CC) crisis, can and must be resolved by constitutional amendments. Minister of Justice Rustam Badasyan said this in a conversation with journalists today.

“Whatever solution we find now, that solution cannot be a 100% basis for restoring public trust in the entire judicial system,” the minister said. “There is time until February 27 for early retirement [of the serving CC judges]. (…) If no one applies for early retirement, there will be no tragedy from it. If anyone applies, it is half a step towards resolving the crisis.”

Badasyan stressed that the current criminal case against CC president Hrayr Tovmasyan should not be linked to the resolution of the CC crisis.

“No one is insured and has no absolute immunity from any criminal prosecution,” he added, in particular.

Badasyan said that the newly formed constitutional reform commission will look at the constitutional directions outlined in the judicial-legal strategy.

And asked if they plan to change the model of government in Armenia, the minister said: “The government does not plan, and the prime minister has made it clear.”

Armenia economic activity index grows 7,8%

Liana Toganian

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 13:20, 31 January, 2020

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS. The economic activity index of Armenia grew 7,8% in 2019 January-December compared to the previous year, the Statistics Committee said in a report.

During the reporting period the volume of industrial output grew 9%, the gross agricultural production dropped 4,2%, construction grew 4,6% and trade turnover grew 8,9%. Volume of services grew 15%.

Consumer price index increased 1,4%, while the industrial product price index 0,5%.

Electricity production dropped 1,9%. Average monthly wages grew 5,8% – totaling 182750 drams (8,4% increase in public sector and 3,8% increase in private sector).

The volume of foreign trade turnover grew 10,4% (exports grew 9,4% and imports grew 10,8%).

 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan




U.S. Congress to vote on resolution to commemorate Armenian genocide

Liana Toganian
Ahval News
Oct 26 2019
U.S. Congress to vote on resolution to commemorate Armenian genocide

2019-10-26

The U.S. Congress is poised to vote next week on a resolution to commemorate the 1915 Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire, a move that supporters say is driven in part by fears of potential Turkish atrocities against the Kurds in northern Syria, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

Most international scholars and 29 countries recognise the events starting in 1915 as a genocide; Turkey, however, admits that massacres took place but rejects the term genocide.

The United States has issued annual statements on Apr. 24, the date when mass deportations began in 1915, now held as the annual Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.

The U.S. Congress has considered moving a similar resolution to recognise the Armenian genocide several times over the last several decades, but has pulled back due to pressure from Turkey and the U.S. administrations’ concerns about alienating a NATO ally, the WSJ said. 

“Turkey opposes all legislative steps and other official acts that try to render judgment on its history. This issue should be left to the historians,” the Turkish Embassy in Washington said this week in a written statement. 

The embassy said that the resolution would not serve the interests of Turks and Armenians, and also of the United States.

“While the State Department does not generally comment on pending legislation, our policy on this issue is clear: The United States recognises the Meds Yeghern was one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century,” a State Department spokeswoman told the WSJ, using an Armenian phrase that means “great calamity” instead of genocide. 

Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America, said the State Department’s statement could be interpreted as neutral on the resolution. “It could serve as a signal to the president’s allies on the Hill,” he said.

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, the only Armenian-Assyrian member of Congress who pushed for the vote, said in an interview that a historical bell had rung in her mind when she had learned about U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans to withdraw American troops in northern Syria to clear the way for Ankara’s military operations into Kurdish-controlled territories along its border that was launched on Oct. 9 and lasted nine-days. 

Eshoo’s personal appeal carried weight because she lost family members in the massacre and her parents fled persecution in the region, but she said there was already support for the resolution. 

“Each leader that I spoke to agreed that they thought it should be brought up, so there wasn’t any hesitation on anyone’s part,” Eshoo said.

Armenia condemns Turkey’s military invasion of Syria

Liana Toganian
JAM News
Oct 11 2019
JAMnews, Yerevan
Artur Xachatryan

The diplomatic mission in Syria is prepared to organize an urgent evacuation of compatriots from settlements under fire

Armenia condemns the Turkish troops’ invasion of Syria, according to a message from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia. The Prime Minister also called on the international community to take every measure to stop the Turkish invasion.

Armenia’s humanitarian mission in Syria continues, with Armenian doctors and engineers fulfilling their daily responsibilities.

Armenia’s diplomatic mission in Syria has organised an urgent evacuation of compatriots in the line of fire, especially from the cities of Tel Abyad and Kamyshly.

Turkey launched a military operation in northeast Syria to create a ‘safe zone’ along its borders. The attack hit more than 200 targets using heavy weapons, including aircraft and artillery. Washington said it would not obstruct the Turkish military, and began to withdraw its troops from this territory. In this situation, an escalation of the conflict between Turkey and the Syrian Kurds, who now control the northeast of Syria, now poses a real threat.

• Syria as the way out

The MFA stated:

“This invasion will lead to a further deterioration of regional security, as well as civilian casualties, a large flow of displaced people and, ultimately, a new humanitarian crisis.”

This military invasion, according to the MFA’s statement, creates the conditions for severe and large-scale human rights violations against another ethnic group.

“Armenia calls for effective international efforts to end this military invasion, prevent mass atrocities and protect the Syrian population on the border of Turkey.”

In addition, that statement reiterated Yerevan’s continued humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people.

Yerevan has delivered humanitarian assistance to Damascus since the start of the war. The assistance is for civilians suffering from the fighting.

Armenia has emphasised that its presence in Syria is one of peacebuilding only through humanitarian activities.

“Assistance will be provided exclusively outside the combat zone. Armenian specialists will carry out humanitarian activities such as clearing mines and educating local people about the mines, as well as the provision of medical care in Aleppo.”— declared Armenia’s press secretary for the Ministry of Defense, Artsrun Hovhannisyan .

PM Nikol Pashinyan also declared that Armenian specialists will not be placed in combat:

“This is an exclusively humanitarian programme and has no military significance. We intend to implement this programme with what is possible in the country’s budget. All costs are included in the draft budget for 2019.”

After the completion of the active phase of hostilities in Syria in February 2019, Armenia sent a humanitarian mission there. There is a group of engineers and doctors – 83 people in total.

• Alarm bells ring for Pankisi gorge – the echo of the Syrian war reaches Georgia

Armenia’s condemnation of the invasion of Turkish troops in the territory of Syria was announced on 10 October by the Prime Minister of Armenia:

“We are concerned about the situation, since, according to our research, such actions will further deepen the humanitarian crisis in Syria.”

Pashinyan believes that the international community needs to take steps to stop the illegal Turkish invasion and protect Syrian citizens living along the border with Turkey, including national minorities.

“In this context, I want to note that Armenia in Aleppo (Syria) is implementing a successful humanitarian mission, and we will continue to do so,” Pashinyan reiterated.

The continuation of the humanitarian mission was also confirmed by Nazeli Elbakyan, who is responsible for public relations at the Centre for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise:

“I spoke with the head of the humanitarian mission in Syria. The mission operates as usual … The mission has not received any other instructions. Armenian doctors and engineers continue their daily work in Aleppo.”

Armenia’s government decided that citizens of Syria, Lebanon and Iraq could receive Armenian citizenship in their respective countries.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Avet Adonts explained that in 2012, the government made a similar decision, and citizens of Syria, Lebanon and Iraq could obtain citizenship and passports in the embassies or consulates of Armenia in these countries. However, that policy was only in place until 31 December  2018. Adonts noted that:

“Given the internal situation and the tension in these countries, it is necessary to extend this decision so that citizens of these countries can obtain Armenian passports at the embassies and consulates of their countries through 31 December 2019.”

On 10 October, according to Syrian media agency Sana, eight civilians, including women and children, were killed and 20 injured in shelling.

Information became available about the Armenians who live in settlements affected by the shelling of Turkish troops.

The head of the parliamentary commission on education, science, culture, youth and sports, Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, shared information on his Facebook page.

Referring to Armenia’s Chief Consular in Syria, Armen Sargsyan, Mkhitaryan said that the Armenian mission in Syria is prepared to organise an urgent evacuation of compatriots.

“About 16 Armenian families were shelled by Turkish troops in the city of Tel Abyad in northern Syria … In addition, the city of Kamyshli, where there are also many Armenians, is also under fire,” Mkhitaryan wrote.

Later, it turned out that 13 out of 16 families had already left Tel Abyad, while the Kamyshli Armenians — more than 400 families — had not yet agreed to leave their homes.


Sports: Drone flying Armenian separatist flag halts Qarabag’s Europa League game in Luxembourg

Liana Toganian
Inside World Foorball
Oct 4 2019
4th October 2019
    

October 4 – A Europa League game between Luxembourg’s F91 Dudelange and FK Qarabag of Azerbaijan was temporarily halted on Thursday when a drone was flown over the ground.

Qarabag were leading 2-0 when the drone was spotted flying over the pitch forcing the match officials to suspend the action for around 15 minutes. Shortly after play resumed Qarabag increased their lead from the penalty spot and went on to win 4-1.

According to reports the drone carried a red, blue and gold flag featuring the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a landlocked Armenian separatist region within Azerbaijan.

There are currently no diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia owing to the ongoing conflict over the region which engaged in a bloody six-year war that ended in 1994. Although the area is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, it is an independently-run, ethnically-Armenian enclave.

Last May, Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan refused to play for Arsenal in the Europa League final in Baku because he feared for his safety in Azerbaijan’s capital.

Decrees on awarding

Liana Toganian
| 13:21 | October 1 2019
Categories
Artsakh
Official

On October 1st Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan signed decrees on awarding.
For personal bravery and courage shown during rebuffing the subversive-reconnoitering activities undertaken by the enemy, servicemen Armen Babayan and Emil Nersisyan were awarded with the “For Service in Battle” medal.

For shooting down the hostile unmanned aerial vehicle “Orbiter -2”, which had infringed the Artsakh Republic state air border during the reconnaissance flight, the Defence Army servicemen Parouyr Amirkhanyan and Rafik Ordoyan were awarded with the “For Service in Battle” medal.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 09/23/2019

Liana Toganian 
                                        Monday, 
Azeri Soldier Killed In Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh -- Karabakh Armenian troops hold exercises, July 11, 2019.
An Azerbaijani soldier was killed in Nagorno-Karabakh at the weekend in what 
Karabakh’s Armenian-backed army described as a failed incursion on its 
frontline positions.
A statement by the Defense Army said an Azerbaijani commando squad “left behind 
one corpse in the no man’s land” after being repelled by its frontline troops 
deployed southeast of Karabakh on Sunday afternoon.
“The Defense Army suffered no losses. Details of the incident are being 
clarified,” the statement said, adding that the “sabotage incursion attempt” 
was filmed by the army’s surveillance cameras installed along the 
Armenian-Azerbaijani “line of contact” around Karabakh.
The Azerbaijani military on Monday confirmed a combat death within its ranks 
but denied launching any commando raids.
According to the Trend news agency, the Defense Ministry in Baku said that an 
Azerbaijani soldier, identified as Ramin Abdulrahmanov, was shot dead in front 
of Karabakh Armenian positions after accidentally “losing his way.” The 
ministry said it has asked the International Committee of the Red Cross to help 
recover his body.
The deadly incident occurred one day before a fresh meeting Armenia’s and 
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministers due to be held in New York. The two ministers 
most recently met in Washington on June 20 in the presence of the U.S., Russian 
and French mediators co-heading the OSCE Minsk Group. The Azerbaijani Foreign 
Ministry described that meeting as “positive.”
It was the most serious Azerbaijani incursion attempt reported by the Karabakh 
army since five Azerbaijani soldiers were killed near Karabakh in February 2017 
in an overnight incident caught on Armenian surveillance cameras. Their bodies 
lying in the no-man’s land were retrieved with the ICRC’s help.
Deadly ceasefire violations on the Karabakh frontlines and the 
Armenian-Azerbaijani border have decreased significantly since Armenian Prime 
Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met for the 
first time in September 2018.
Thousands Rally In Los Angeles For Armenia’s PM
        • Karlen Aslanian
U.S. -- Armenian Americans attend a rally held by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian in Los Angeles, .
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian urged Diaspora Armenians to invest in Armenia, 
regularly visit their ancestral homeland and become its citizens as he 
addressed thousands of them at a rally held in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Pashinian spoke before the crowd that gathered in the city’s Grand Park after 
holding meetings with Armenian American organizations.
He began his hour-long speech by thanking Armenia’s worldwide Diaspora for its 
“invaluable” assistance provided to the country since independence. He also 
thanked those California Armenians, many of them born and raised in Armenia, 
who supported last year’s “Velvet Revolution” that brought him to power.
“We hope that the Diaspora will stand by the economic revolution taking place 
in Armenia just like it stood by the political revolution in Armenia,” said 
Pashinian. “And I want to invite all Diaspora entrepreneurs to Armenia because 
in today’s Armenia you won’t come across the obstacles that have existed 
before. In Armenia, systemic corruption has been rooted out and the rule of 
monopolies and oligarchy eliminated.”
Pashinian then renewed his calls for a “great repatriation” of ethnic Armenians 
from the United States and other parts of the world. “Great repatriation means, 
for example, physically staying and living in Armenia for one or two months 
every year,” he explained.
U.S. -- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian speaks at a rally in Los 
Angeles, .
“Real estate prices in Armenia and Yerevan are substantially rising now,” he 
said. “Buying a home in Yerevan, in Armenia means making a very good and 
reliable investment … Every Armenian must have a home in Armenia.”
“Repatriation also means owning a business in Armenia and, more importantly, 
having citizenship of the Republic of Armenia. Every [Diaspora] Armenian must 
have Armenian citizenship,” declared Pashinian.
Pashinian proceeded on Monday to New York where he is due to give a speech at a 
session of the UN General Assembly. It was not clear whether he will meet with 
senior U.S. officials during his latest trip to the U.S.
On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated the Armenian leader on 
the 28th anniversary of Armenia’s declaration of independence from the Soviet 
Union.
“The United States welcomes the close cooperation between our nations and your 
government’s commitment to democratic and economic reform,” Trump wrote in a 
letter publicized by Pashinian’s press office. “We strongly support the desire 
of the Armenian people, as expressed during last year’s peaceful events 
throughout Armenia, to live in a democratic country that respects the rule of 
law and is free from corruption.”
“I look forward to building on the partnership between our two countries in the 
years ahead,” added Trump.
Pashinian, Former Security Chief Step Up War Of Words
Armenia -- Prime Miinister Nikol Pashinian and National Security Service 
Director Artur Vanetsian (R) walk in downtown Yerevan, September 21, 2018.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Artur Vanetsian, the former head of 
Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) forced to resign last week, have 
traded fresh and more bitter recriminations.
Vanetsian hit out at Pashinian when he announced his resignation in a statement 
issued on September 16. He said that the latter’s “impulsive” leadership style 
is not good for Armenia and runs counter to the NSS “officer’s honor.”
Pashinian swiftly rounded on Vanetsian through his press secretary. His chief 
of staff said afterwards the former NSS chief was sacked because the prime 
minister was dissatisfied with his work.
Visiting the United States on Sunday, Pashinian accused Vanetsian of showing 
“disrespect for the officer’s honor” by making the “statement against his 
commander-in-chief.” “Would an officer do such a thing?” he told a news 
conference held in Los Angeles. “Do you know what that means? That means 
throwing your shoulder straps into a trash bin.”
“That is disrespectful towards Armenia’s armed forces,” he said, likening 
Vanetsian to Soviet generals who staged a failed coup d’état in August 1991.
Vanetsian hit back at Pashinian in equally strong terms on Monday, saying that 
the premier is misleading Armenians and “again not thinking about consequences 
of his words.” “Imagine what will happen if I suddenly start speaking up 
without thinking about consequences,” he warned in written comments to the 
“Hraparak” daily.
Vanetsian claimed that following his resignation Pashinian has been “sending 
people to me to ask me to keep silent for a while so that the situation calms 
down.” “But I can see now that he is once again breaching understandings and 
making incomprehensible and, in essence, shallow populist statements,” he said.
“I insist with certitude: time will tell who or what will end up in a trash 
bin,” added the 39-year-old career officer of Armenia’s most powerful security 
service.
Pashinian appointed Vanetsian as NSS director two days after the Armenian 
parliament elected him prime minister in May 2018. Vanetsian quickly became one 
of the most influential members of his entourage, overseeing a number of 
high-profile corruption investigations.
Pashinian has not yet publicly explained why he decided to the replace the NSS 
chief. His spokesman, Vladimir Karapetian, suggested last week that Vanetsian 
might have secret ties to Armenia’s former leadership. Vanetsian strongly 
denied that.
Armenian Governor Investigated Over Violent Assault
        • Marine Khachatrian
Armenia -- Vayots Dzor Governor Trdat Sargsian.
An Armenian law-enforcement agency said on Monday that it is investigating a 
provincial governor’s possible involvement in a violent dispute that left one 
man critically injured.
The incident occurred late last week in Yeghegnadzor, the administrative center 
of Armenia’s southeastern Vayots Dzor province. Ara Mkhitarian, an army 
lieutenant-colonel serving there, suffered severe injuries to his head while 
reportedly arguing with an assistant to the Vayots Dzor governor, Trdat 
Sargsian, in still unclear circumstances.
Mkhitarian remained in a coma at a military hospital on Monday, with doctors 
fighting for his life. One of them described the officer’s chances of survival 
as “very small.”
According to Armenia’s Investigative Committee, Mkhitarian suffered his 
injuries when he was punched by the governor’s 28-year-old aide, Harutiun 
Grigorian, and fell to the ground. Grigorian was arrested and charged with 
violent assault over the weekend.
Mkhitarian’s father Samvel and friends dismissed the official version of events 
as they gathered outside the prime minister’s office in Yerevan on Monday 
morning to demand an objective and full investigation of the Yeghegnadzor 
incident. They said that the officer and his colleagues were assaulted by a 
larger group of men that may have included Governor Sargsian.
“How can you knock down a 120-kilogram guy and smash his skull with one punch?” 
argued Samvel Mkhitarian.
“The governor must resign and be put on trial along with his gang,” said one of 
the victim’s friends.
Another protester claimed that an eyewitness who has given incriminating 
testimony against Sargsian is now being bullied by the governor. “We are 
demanding that the prosecutor[-general] put this case under his personal 
control and ensure a fair investigation because we don’t trust the Vayots Dzor 
police,” he said.
Sargsian, who is affiliated with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s Civil 
Contract party, strongly denied his involvement. “I was at home [during the 
incident,]” he told reporters.
The 30-year-old governor confirmed the existence of incriminating testimony 
against him. “I think it must be established who ordered such testimony and the 
person who ordered the false testimony must also be held accountable,” he said.
The Investigative Committee said, meanwhile, that it is taking “urgent 
measures” to “verify the Vayots Dzor governor’s participation in the incident.”
A spokeswoman for the committee, Naira Harutiunian, said investigators are 
studying footage from surveillance camera placed near the scene of the 
violence. “The case is overseen by the chairman of the Investigative Committee, 
Hayk Grigorian,” she added.
Another U.S. Presidential Hopeful Vows Armenian Genocide Recognition
US Senator Elizabeth Warren speaks during her presidential candidacy 
announcement event at the Everett Mills in Lawrence, MA on February 9, 2019.
U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has 
reaffirmed her strong support for U.S. recognition of the 1915 Armenian 
genocide in Ottoman Turkey.
Warren also vowed to help “strengthen the U.S.-Armenia relationship” when she 
congratulated the Armenian Assembly of America on the 28th anniversary of 
Armenia’s independence marked on Saturday.
“I believe that if we do not recognize the horrors of the past, we risk those 
horrors being repeated in the future,” she wrote in a letter publicized by the 
Assembly on Monday. “That is why I am an original cosponsor of a bipartisan 
Senate resolution that recognizes the Armenian Genocide and encourages 
widespread education of this tragedy.”
“I was honored to speak at the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day centennial 
ceremony in April 2015 at the Armenian Heritage Park in Boston, and I will 
continue supporting efforts to bring recognition to the genocide,” added the 
senator from Massachusetts, a U.S. state with a sizable Armenian community.
Warren is one of the main candidates vying for the Democratic Party’s 
nomination for the 2020 presidential election. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted 
earlier this month showed her solidifying her status as a top contender behind 
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders.
Biden likewise wrote to the Assembly and another Armenian-American lobby group 
last week, saying that the United States must officially recognize the Armenian 
genocide “once and for all.” He too had cosponsored a genocide resolution in 
the U.S. Senate in the past.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2019 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org

Turkish Press: Pakistan opposes Armenian action on Upper Karabakh

Liana Toganian
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Sept 23 2019
Pakistan opposes Armenian action on Upper Karabakh

Aamir Latif   | 23.09.2019

KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan on Monday opposed unilateral action by Armenia to change the status quo in the Upper Karabakh region, urging Yerevan to respect UN Security Council resolutions on the disputed region.

Speaking at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Contact Group meeting on Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the Upper Karabakh dispute was “a threat to regional peace and stability”, likening it to the Jammu and Kashmir conflict between Pakistan and India.

“Pakistan is against the action of Armenia to change geography, population, economic, social and cultural identity and institutional structure in Nagorno-Karabakh,” Qureshi said, according to state-run Radio Pakistan.

Noting that the conflict that erupted in 1994 has displaced one million people, Qureshi urged Armenia to respect Azerbaijan’s integrity and sovereignty and withdraw its forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territory of Upper Karabakh, in line with previous UN Security Council resolutions.

During the meeting which was held at the sidelines of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Qureshi called on the world to resolve the simmering dispute and ensure repatriation of displaced people.

Upper Karabakh is the internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan illegally occupied by Armenia through military aggression since 1991.

The Armenian occupation of the historical Azerbaijani lands led Turkey — which sides with Baku in the conflict — to close its frontier with Armenia.

Sports: 3 Armenian boxers to compete for medals in World C’ship today

Liana Toganian
MediaMax, Armenia
Sept 18 2019
3 Armenian boxers to compete for medals in World C’ship today

Armenia will be represented by three athletes.

Artur Hovhannisyan’s confident win over the Azerbaijani opponent yesterday in 52kg weight category pushed him forward to quarter-finals, where he will face Saken Bibossinov (Kazakhstan).

Another European champion from Armenia, Hovhannes Bachkov (63kg) will fight against Leonel De Los Santos (Dominican Republic), and Arman Darchinyan (75kg) will compete with Tursynbay Kulakhmet (Kazakhstan).