Author: Lilit Nahapetian

Armenian Defense Minister highlights Iran’s role in ensuring regional security

Lilit Nahapetian

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 19:12, 1 October, 2021

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Arshak Karapetyan received Ambassador of Iran to Armenia Abbas Badakhshan Zohouri. Iranian embassy’s military attaché Colonel Bahman Sadeghin also participated in the meeting.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MoD Armenia, during the meeting the Armenian Defense Minister presented the regional situation, highlighting the role of Iran in ensuring the regional security.

The sides also discussed other issues related to the deepening of the Armenian-Iranian cooperation and regional issues.



Conference dedicated to 30th anniversary of Armenia’s Independence kicks off in Yerevan

Lilit Nahapetian

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 12:00, 28 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The republican conference organized by the History Museum of Armenia on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Independence opened today in Yerevan.

At the opening ceremony Director of the History Museum Davit Poghosyan said the conference has been organized aimed at valuing the 30th anniversary of the independence of Armenia. According to him, a decision was made to value the independence with circulation of knowledge.

“The idea of independence is based on the identity of the Armenian people”, he said. “We believe that independence is not only a fight, but also an opportunity for us to develop, create better homeland in order to inherit the homeland to our generations. I think, independence is work”, he added.

The conference will last until September 30.

Mr. Poghosyan informed that more than 80 applications for participation to the conference were received. The reports and materials presented at the conference will be published under the title “Works of History Museum of Armenia”.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armen Ashotyan criticizes Pashinyan for ‘weak’ speech at UN General Assembly

Lilit Nahapetian
Panorama, Armenia
Sept 25 2021

Deputy Chairman of the opposition Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Armen Ashotyan criticized Nikol Pashinyan for his “indescribably weak” speech at the General Debate of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly on Friday.

“Nikol’s speech at the UN General Assembly was indescribably weak,” he wrote on Facebook.

According to Ashotyan, Pashinyan should have responded to Ilham Aliyev’s lies and manipulations and revealed the whole truth about the Artsakh war, instead of making a “shaky speech”.

“After Aliyev’s statement, he simply had to re-record his video message, and if it was the new version, I can imagine how weak the previous version was.

“A demand for an international investigation into the circumstances of the Artsakh war (which I have been talking about since last October), the de-occupation of Artsakh, the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the destruction of Armenian cultural and religious heritage, Azerbaijani fascism turned into state-run politics, the direct involvement of Turkey in the last war, mercenaries from the Middle East… there was not a single word or argument in this regard,” Ashotyan said.

“Instead, he talked about “velvet revolution,” “democratic elections” and “an era of peace”. Shouting democracy, he handed over Artsakh. Crying for peace, he is surrendering Armenia.

“After all this, do you think we are respected or should be respected in the world?” he added.

Turkish press: Azerbaijan files case against Armenia for ‘ethnic cleansing’

Lilit Nahapetian
 ANKARA POLITICS 
SEP 23, 2021 11:14 PM GMT+3

Armenian soldiers walk along the road near the border between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, Nov. 8, 2020. (AP Photo)

Azerbaijan on Thursday filed a case at the United Nations’ top court against Armenia saying that Yerevan engaged in “ethnic cleansing and cultural erasure.”

The case was lodged at the International Court of Justice a week after Armenia filed suit against Azerbaijan at the same Hague-based world court, accusing Baku of a “state-sponsored policy of Armenian hatred.”

Both cases focus on the two countries’ decadeslong territorial dispute that erupted into armed conflict again last year, leaving hundreds dead.

Referring to that eruption of hostilities, Azerbaijan alleged in its written filing that “Armenia once again targeted Azerbaijanis for brutal treatment motivated by ethnic hatred,” the court said in a statement.

“Armenia’s policies and conduct of ethnic cleansing, cultural erasure and fomenting of hatred against Azerbaijanis systematically infringe the rights and freedoms of Azerbaijanis, as well as Azerbaijan’s own rights,” the case alleges. It accuses Armenia of breaching an international convention aimed at eradicating discrimination.

Armenia last week cited the same convention in bringing its case to the court, which handles disputes between nations. Both countries have signed the convention.

Azerbaijan asked the court to urgently order so-called “provisional measures” aimed at compelling Armenia to “protect Azerbaijanis from the irreparable harm caused by Armenia’s ongoing conduct.” Armenia made a similar request last week aimed at protecting its interests while the case is heard. Cases at the court often take years, but hearings on the two requests for provisional measures will likely be scheduled in the coming weeks.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory, and seven adjacent regions.

When new clashes erupted 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, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from the nearly 30-year occupation.

Despite a Nov. 10 deal last year ending the conflict, the Armenian Army several times violated the agreement and killed several Azerbaijani soldiers and a civilian, and wounded several others, according to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

California Armenian Legislative Caucus announces essay and visual arts scholarship winners

Lilit Nahapetian
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 16 2021
September 16, 2021, 10:32

 5 minutes read

Asbarez – The California Armenian Legislative Caucus announced the winners of this year’s 2021 California Armenian Legislative Caucus’ Scholarship. 
 
The California Armenian Legislative Caucus has worked hard this year to advocate and participate in educational and governmental efforts in California and awarded six scholarships to California high school students who entered essay and arts contests. 
 
The Caucus continues to strive to educate Californians on Armenian American issues and celebrate the achievements of Armenian Americans in California. 

Earlier this year the Armenian Caucus invited California high school students to participate in its Annual Essay Contest. Students were asked to write a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, urging that Facebook take the same course of action against denial and distorted posts regarding the 1915 Armenian Genocide as they have with the Holocaust.  

Essay Contest Winners
First-prize, $1,000: Alex Santiago attending Walnut High School in Walnut, CA. 
Second-prize, $750: Kyleen Lin attending Clovis North High School in Fresno, CA. 
Third-prize, $500: Michael Karapetyan attending Castro Valley High School in Castro Valley, CA.  
 
This year’s theme was “Human to Human Interaction.” Submission types were limited to drawings, paintings, photographs, digital illustrations, and graphic design. 
 
Visual Arts Scholarship Winners 
First-prize, $1,000: Lina Lee attending Milpitas High School in Milpitas, CA. 
Second-prize, $750: Sophie Ludes attending Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, CA. 
Third-prize, $500: Daniella Brewer attending Tulare Western High School in Tulare, CA. 

Asbarez is featuring the essays and visual arts submissions of the winners of this year’s contest below.
 
“Congratulations to the very deserving winners. Armenian Americans are a vital part of our state’s story and we all benefit when our leaders of tomorrow embrace and celebrate our diversity. We are proud that so many Armenians call California home,” said Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins  
 
“Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 California Armenian Legislative Caucus’ Scholarship. Despite the ups and downs of high school during COVID, these high school students met the challenge and offered creative, heartfelt entries. Hats off to this year’s winners!,” added Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk 

“As a proud member of the California Armenian Legislative Caucus, I am excited about the recognition and financial aid that our high school student scholarship winners will be receiving. They have earned our Caucus’ scholarship support for their essay and artistic excellence, and I look forward to their continued academic achievements in the future,” commented Senator Bob Archuleta 
 
“Congratulations to each of this year’s California Armenian Legislative Caucus scholarship recipients,” said Senator Borgeas. “These bright, young leaders give me hope for the next generation of public servants in our state,” said Senator Andreas Borgeas 
 
“Congratulations to the 2021 California Armenian Legislative Caucus essay and art scholarship winners. I am impressed with the winners for doing their part to share the culture and traditions of the Armenian people with all of California and the world,” said Senator Brian Dahle.  
 
“Congratulations to this top-notch group of students throughout California for being this year’s Armenian Caucus scholarship recipients,” said Senator Mariá Elena Durazo. “We are proud to be investing in their education. The COVID-19 pandemic has created financial struggles for so many families, and we are proud to contribute toward the rising costs of their college education. On behalf of the Armenian Caucus, we cannot wait to see the great things this talented group of students will achieve. Make us proud!” 
 
“Congratulations to these very talented young people. California has remarkable students and it’s wonderful to see scholarships helping them garner future academic opportunities,” offered Senator Anthony Portantino 
 
“Congratulations to the recipients of the 2021 California Armenian Legislative Caucus Scholarship! I am pleased to join my colleagues in recognizing the brilliant efforts of these six students from across the state. Their entries are important reminders of the rich history, culture, and daily experiences of the Armenian community in California. It is also a reminder that some still seek to deny the shared memories of the atrocities inflicted upon the people of Armenia. That is why I will continue to work with my colleagues to elevate the voices of the Armenian communities these future leaders and scholars represent. I look forward to hearing of their future endeavors!,” Assemblymember Lisa Calderon said.
 
“Every year, we have the privilege to read poignant essays and view stunning visual arts from high school students throughout California,” said Assemblymember Laura Friedman. “Their works never cease to amaze me, but this year our submissions have been truly special. Each submission was crafted with so much passion, and displayed the incredible talent of its creator. I’d like to thank everyone for their participation during a very challenging year, and I want to congratulate this year’s winners for their truly inspiring work,” added Assemblymember Laura Friedman.
 
“Congratulations to Lina, Sophie, Daniella, Alex, Kyleen, and Michael for receiving the 2021 California Armenian Legislative Caucus Scholarships. Their dedication to finding meaningful ways to express themselves, educate others, and celebrate the extraordinary legacy of Armenian Americans in California is truly impressive and a powerful example of how we must all advocate for a more just and peaceful world,” Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel in wishing the winners well.
 
“Congratulations to this year’s Armenian Caucus Scholarship winners! These students’ essays and visual arts submissions showcase their skills and abilities to advocate for truth and justice for the Armenian Genocide. I hope they continue to use their talents to make a positive impact on the issues they care about,” offered Assemblymember Chris Holden. 
 
“I offer my sincere congratulations to the scholarship recipients who recognized the historical significance of the Armenian Genocide in their entry. It is important to recognize the young talented students who understand the importance of human-to-human interaction,” said  Assemblymember Tom Lackey. 
 
“I want to thank the all the students who participated this year’s Armenian Genocide Scholarship Contest and their parents and teachers who supported their creative endeavors. Each year, I am amazed by the talent of California’s young artists and writers,” said Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, head of the California Armenian Legislative Caucus. “This annual contest presents a unique opportunity for our state to celebrate the talent of brilliant California high school students while granting them the opportunity to explore the history and culture of the Armenian people. Congratulations to our six winners!,” Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian said.
 
“As a member of the California Armenian Legislative Caucus, I want to congratulate all of the winners of this year’s caucus scholarship,” said Assemblywoman Luz Rivas. “These six high students showed incredible talent in their ability to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide through the visual arts and essay writing. I commend our winners for their accomplishments and wish them the best as future leaders,” said Assemblymember Luz Rivas. 
 
“I am so proud of all the winners of this year’s Armenian Legislative Caucus Scholarship Award and their ability to put words into action to advocate on behalf of the Armenian people. Congratulations students and I wish you much luck on your entrance into college,” Assemblymember Suzette Valladares offered.

Members of the California Armenian Legislative Caucus include: Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins; Senate Majority Leader Bob Hertzberg; Senate Minority Leader Scott Wilk; and senators Bob Archuleta, Andreas Borgeas, Brian Dahle, María Elena Durazo, Anthony Portantino. Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes and Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Kevin Mullen are joined by members of the California Assembly Lisa Calderon, Vince Fong, Laura Friedman, Jesse Gabriel, Mike Gipson, Chris Holden, Tom Lackey, Adrin Nazarian, Assemblymember Luz Rivas, Blanca Rubio and Suzette Valladares as members of the Caucus.

Armenian probation officers continue to expand their knowledge on the role and functions of the Probation service

Lilit Nahapetian
Council of Europe
Sept 17 2021
ARMENIA 17 SEPTEMBER 2021

The series of cascade training sessions planned to reach all probation officers in Armenia continued in Aghveran on 28-29 August and on 13-14 September 2021 in Yerevan. The training was delivered by a group of national trainers trained within the same project and it aims to expand the knowledge probation officers on the role and function of the Probation service, with a focus on inter alia pre-sentence and pre-release (parole) reports, assessment of risk and needs, supervision planning.

 

The cascade training sessions started to roll-out from 29 July 2021 and are planned to be finished by October 2021 as a part of in-service training programme.

These activities were organized in-person on the basis of training modules developed/ revised the Project “Support the scaling-up of the probation service in Armenia” implemented by the Council of Europe and financed through the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Armenia 2019-2022.



​Slovakia interested in the development of multilateral cooperation with Armenia, Foreign Minister tells PM Pashinyan

Lilit Nahapetian
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 14 2021

Slovakia interested in the development of multilateral cooperation with Armenia, Foreign Minister tells PM Pashinyan

 , 16:15 1 minute read

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received a delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia Ivan Korčok, who is on an official visit in Armenia.

The Prime Minister welcomed Mr. Korčok’s visit to Armenia and highlighted the continuous development of relations with Slovakia. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction for that Slovakia shows interest in establishing peace and stability in the South Caucasus region.

In this context, Prime Minister Pashinyan referred to the situation created by the war unleashed by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh last year, its failure to fulfill the agreement on the return of Armenian prisoners of war, as well as the incursions of Azerbaijani forces into Armenia’s sovereign territory. The Prime Minister presented the steps taken by the Armenian Government, Armenia’s expectations from the international community and stressed the need to resume the negotiation process within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs’ format.

Nikol Pashinyan also touched upon the Armenia-EU cooperation and stressed the importance of the assistance provided for the reforms aimed at the development and strengthening of democracy in Armenia.

The Foreign Minister of Slovakia noted that the Government of his country is interested in the development of multilateral cooperation with Armenia, particularly, Ivan Korčok emphasized the need to realize the great potential of cooperation in the fields of economy, including business relations, trade relations, information technologies. He conveyed the friendly greetings of the Slovak leadership to the Armenian people and the Prime Minister of Armenia. Mr. Korčok noted that he is impressed by the results of the early parliamentary elections of Armenia, and emphasized that despite the concequences of the pandemic and the war, Armenia has taken the path of development.

Mr. Korčok, underlined that Slovakia appreciates Armenia’s efforts aimed at establishing stability and peace in the region and highlighted the comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. The Foreign Minister of Slovakia considered it necessary to take steps for strengthening confidence in the region and expressed his country’s support for the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs’efforts.

The interlocutors exchanged views on the strengthening of democratic institutions in Armenia and the processes taking place in the region.

Kremlin Considers Armenian Model to Resolve Belarus Crisis

Lilit Nahapetian
Jamestown Foundation
Sept 10 2021

September 10, 2021 09:00 AM Age: 6 hours


Thus, the Kremlin is seeking the mantle of Belarusian crisis solver in the eyes of the West, while simultaneously developing a new model of interference that will legitimize Russian strategic intentions to expand its influence in Belarus. In short, the Kremlin’s formula is to facilitate regime change in Minsk in exchange for authorization to deploy Russian military bases in Belarus by the country’s new leadership as well as Western acceptance of Belarus as a “legitimate” part of Russia’s privileged zone of geopolitical interests. Such a grand bargain would put an end to Belarus as a sovereign and independent country, all while ignoring the positions of different parts of Belarusian society and the interest of other geopolitical actors present in the region, including China.After the West extended additional sanctions against Belarus and following Belarusian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s big press conference on August 9, the Kremlin began signaling its readiness to implement the so-called Armenian model to resolve the political crisis in the country.

During Lukashenka’s press conference last month, the president once again rejected the need to deploy permanent Russian military bases on Belarusian territory and dismissed any further deepening of political-military integration with Russia. Additionally, he reaffirmed Belarus’s security guaranties toward Ukraine, refused to recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and demonstrated Minsk’s openness to negotiations with the West without preconditions (President.gov.by, August 9). A day later, the editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs, Fyodor Lukyanov, published an article that offers important hints about the Kremlin’s evolving position on the Belarusian crisis (Russia in Global Affairs, August 10).

First, Lukyanov admits that all external (including Russia and the West) and internal actors of the Belarusian crisis have reached a complete stalemate, additionally noting that the political crisis itself was caused by the mistakes of the Belarusian leader and the regime’s inability to offer “an attractive image of the future” for the population, rather than by the actions of the West. To move beyond this situation—which is aggravated by the risk of new sanctions against Russia for supporting Lukashenka—Moscow is ready to promote regime change in Minsk in return for geopolitical guarantees from the new democratic leadership that Belarus will remain in the Russian sphere of influence, the Moscow-based writer argues. Belarusian consent to the deployment of a Russian military base could serve as such a guarantee, according to Lukyanov. He emphasizes that “for the Kremlin, to keep the ‘external contour’, i.e., to set the framework for the foreign policy of a country that is its important neighbor, leaving all internal activities to its own people and their understanding of democracy, is not a bad alternative to integration or unification.” Notably, he supports his argument by raising the Armenian case (Russia in Global Affairs, August 10). The Kremlin did not explicitly interfere in Armenia’s domestic affairs during the 2018 Armenian Velvet Revolution, despite the fall of the nominally pro-Russian regime of Serge Sarkisian and the rise of the nominally pro-Western Nikol Pashinyan, because Russia’s permanent military presence in that country guaranteed that no radical geopolitical reorientation from Moscow would happen.

The current debate on what the Kremlin should do with Lukashenka in the context of the political crisis in Belarus is not new. Since the start of the anti-Lukashenka protests a year ago, Russian strategists with intellectual influence over the Kremlin—ranging from Andrey Kortunov, the director general of the Russian Council on Foreign Affairs (Russiancouncil.ru, August 17, 2020), to Dmitry Trenin, who heads the Carnegie Center in Moscow (Carnegie.ru, August 17, 2020)—have emphasized that the Belarusian leader would not be able to return to the pre-crisis status quo and Russia had to consider other options. These views reflected the atmosphere apparently prevailing in the Kremlin at that time.

In late 2020, a set of documents was leaked from the Russian Presidential Office’s Department for Interregional and Cultural Relations With Foreign Countries, headed until March 2021 by Russian Intelligence Service (SVR) Major General Vladimir Chernov. This “Chernov dossier” allegedly reproduced the Kremlin’s plans to exploit the Belarusian presidential campaign and the subsequent political crisis as a favorable pretext to interfere in Belarus’s internal affairs: including shaping the crisis, creating new pro-Kremlin political forces in Belarus, buying up available/ready-made political assets from the government and opposition, and imposing key parameters of constitutional reform to transform Belarus from a super-presidential republic into a parliamentary or parliamentary-presidential one. All these active measures would evidently facilitate the expansion of Russian interests and influence in Belarus in a post-Lukashenka environment (Theins.ru, December 25, 2020).

By (indirectly) raising the prospect of applying the Armenian model now, the Kremlin is not only resuming its approach to the Belarusian crisis but also signaling to both Western countries and the Belarusian opposition that it is ready for a dialogue as long as they take into account Russian strategic interests and concerns. Indeed, Lukyanov’s reference to Armenia in his aforementioned article is no accident. Immediately after the outbreak of the Belarusian political crisis last year, former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt published a piece, “The Armenian Model for Belarus,” in which he implicitly admits that Belarus is part of Russia’s sphere of influence (like Armenia) and the Belarusian revolution was not precipitated by geopolitical motivations such as a public desire to join Euro-Atlantic structures (unlike the Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine) (Ecfr.eu, August 19, 2020).

The Kremlin had essentially been trying to force the Armenian model of political and military integration on Lukashenka’s Belarus without success since 2015, when, in addition to deploying permanent Russian military bases, Moscow insisted on subordinating the Belarusian Armed Forces (as part of the joint Regional Group of Forces) to the Western Military District of Russia (see Jamestown.org, March 2, 2020). But Lukashenka successfully withstood this pressure then and continues to preserve his strategic autonomy vis-à-vis Russia (see EDM [1] [2], May 11, August 19).

More recently, Kremlin-linked strategists have acknowledged that, under current geopolitical conditions, this model cannot be implemented without first changing the political status quo in Minsk, as otherwise it would provoke the introduction of new sanctions against Russia for undermining the independence and sovereignty of Belarus (according to the US Congress’s 2020 Act on Human Rights, Democracy and Sovereignty of Belarus). And Moscow at this stage does not intend to expose itself to such economic penalties solely for the sake of its Belarusian ally, particularly since any agreements concluded with Minsk at present—including those to deepen integration within the Union State—would have minimal legitimacy in the eyes of the international community.

From 1915 to 2021, Armenian Communities Suffer

Lilit Nahapetian
Sept 12 2021
By ICC’s Country Correspondent

09/12/2021 Washington, D.C. (International Christian Concern) – Mrs. Alvard was the gardener of the only school in the village of Nor Verinshen in Nagorno-Karabakh (Armenian: Artsakh), currently occupied by Azerbaijanis. Her son Robert was on military duty when the war started in late September of 2020. While Robert fought on the frontline against Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression for 44 days, Mrs. Alvard moved with her daughter-in-law, Aregnazan, and six young grandchildren to Armenian territory. This current displacement is the second during her lifetime, with the first was in the late 1980s before the first Artsakh war.

In the beginning, relatives welcomed the family and provided their two-bedroom condo to stay in, along with other displaced family members, totaling 21 people. At that time everyone thought it was temporary, the war will finish in a few days or weeks, and shortly they will move back home. Mrs. Alvard naively recalls counting down the days to get back to her beautiful green garden at peak harvest season.

November 10’s agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan that ended the war broke all the hopes of family return home permanently. A few days before handing over their district to Azerbaijanis (originally scheduled for November 15, but surrendered on November 25), Aregnazan went back to the village with her husband’s sister where she first visited the graves of her father and sister in the cemetery, likely for the very last time. “I could not bring much of the household items, but I didn’t want to leave the puppy, the ducks, and the chickens behind. I put all of them together in a big rabbit cage and brought them with me,” Aregnazan said.

36-year-old Aregnazan’s voice trembled as she recalled her final journey from Artsakh to Armenia. Crying and unable to hide her tears she remembered, “it looked like the 1915 deportation during the Armenian Genocide with only one difference – people were moving by vehicles not walking. The roads were blocked by traffic. There were cars that were damaged on the roads. The women, with their children in their arms, were waiting in that cold weather outside until the cars were repaired. Some cars were totally unloaded their cargo on road to be repaired. It was chaos, a real nightmare.”

After 10 months of moving from place to place, the family finally bought their own house with small agricultural land and fruit trees in one of the villages. The Armenian community in the Netherlands and a family from the U.S. contributed the difference sum in addition to Aregnazan and Robert’s savings.

There is still a lot of work to be done to renovate the house. To accommodate their space restrictions, part of the living room has curtains closing off a portion for the children’s room. Their roof is in desperate need of repair. In the future, the adjacent garage could be turned into rooms. They lack several household appliances and electronics, but Aregnazan does not complain. She is happy to have their own place. The family is optimistic and ready to start their new life from scratch.

In their new garden, the beehives are placed at trees. Robert, who was united with his family after the war, says they belong to his friend but together they will share the honey. The family puppy guards the beehives with pride.

“We will do agriculture work. The kids will attend the school. My 14-year-old daughter is happy; finally, she is not going to change the schools (during the last year she changed 4 of them). My 6-year-old son hasn’t gone to school after the war interrupted his first year three weeks class in Artsakh”, says Aregnaz with a sad smile on her face. She often smiles because realizes that her smile also strengthens her children.

Certainly, the family misses and remembers often their old house in Artsakh where they were happy. Aregnazan misses her two pianos she left behind. For years she used to work in the cultural club of their village where they always used to host concerts. All her kids played musical instruments as well. Like a proud mother, she opens her phone and shows the last video of her children play at Dadivank monastery last year. The family never loses hope and still believes and prays that one day they will go back home to Artsakh.

 

Situation in CSTO responsibility zone remains challenging, claims joint staff chief

Lilit Nahapetian
Panorama, Armenia
Sept 7 2021

Challenging political and military situation is developing in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)’s area of responsibility, with the most unfavorable conditions manifested on the Tajik-Afghan border, Colonel General Anatoly Sidorov, Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, stated on Tuesday, according to TASS news agency report. Sidorov’s remarks came at the opening ceremony of the Rubezh-2021 military exercises.

“The political and military situation in the CSTO responsibility zone remains tense. The most disadvantaged situation is in the Central Asian region, which is developing amid the Taliban’s (banned in Russia) takeover of Afghanistan, bordering Tajikistan. A high level of activity of international terrorism and religious extremism also persists in the region,” according to Sidorov.

Joint exercises with the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces of the Central Asian region of collective security (CAR CRDF) ‘Rubezh-2021’ started today on the Edelweiss training range in Kyrgyzstan. The participants will practice conducting combat operations to destroy illegal armed formations that have invaded the territory of one of the CSTO countries.